Jonathan's Gambit
by Irish Rose1
Summary: What do you get when you put a no nonsense Federal Agent under the same roof as a headstrong nightclub singer in 1940's Smallville? For Clark Kent and Lois Lane it’s nothing but trouble.
1. Prologue

**Prologue: **

**March 25, 1943**

It was late, but he was home.

For the first time in a month, he would be able to eat his mothers cooking and if Dad would let him, help him around the farm. They were still negotiating that detail even though the hard work was something that helped get his mind off of his job. And in it's own way, helped him to relax.

And for the first time in a month and three months after they were married, he would get to see his wife. His_ wife. _

How had that happened?

How had she managed to make herself such an important and integral part of his life without even trying? And how was it that he couldn't see the rest of his life without her in it?

He would like to have been home earlier, but soldiers were still getting the priority for train travel and that meant he'd been bumped a couple of times on his way back from California. But it didn't matter because he was finally standing in the front hallway, home.

He headed toward the stairs, wanting to get up to the bedroom to see her but heard a soft sigh from the sofa in the parlor. He set his suitcase down next to the staircase and followed the sound of his restless wife. She was covered in her favorite blanket and the book she'd been reading had fallen to the floor.

He picked it up and put it on the coffee table before he crouched down and then leaned over to kiss her. He felt her smile and sat back as her eyes opened. "It's about time."

_Leave it to her to cut to the chase. _"I'm sorry honey; it couldn't be helped."

"If I'd known you weren't going to be home, I wouldn't have asked your parents to leave the house for a couple of hours." She scolded and he thought he saw her flush. "I had something I wanted to talk to you about."

"And you couldn't have done it in front of my parents?" His curiosity was peaked because his wife was not prone to blushing. It was more often the other way around.

"This isn't something that you discuss in front of your parents, or in my case, my in-laws. I think your mom already figured it out, though." She explained as she sat up and patted the cushion next to her. He stood up enough to move to the sofa and sit next to her and she took his hand.

He took his hat off and tossed it on the coffee table; he'd forgotten that he was still wearing it because her comment got his attention and he felt his chest tighten with worry. What could be so important that she would take his hand to tell him?

"I tried to tell you before you left and then I thought about telling you in a letter. But it's not something that should be relayed in a letter and a telephone call didn't seem right either."

He was confused. "You're losing me."

She rolled her eyes and he could see that she was having some trouble. The last time she'd been this hesitant was when she told him that she loved him. "How can I help?" He prompted.

"Please tell me that you want kids." She glanced at him and then looked down at their joined hands.

"I do. As many as you want." And it dawned on him what she might be getting at. _Could it be possible?_

"That's good." She sighed in relief.

"Honey, what are you trying to get at?" He gripped her hand gently and dipped his head to try and catch her eye. "It's good news isn't it?"

She looked up at him and smiled. "It's _very_ good news, just sooner than I thought it might happen. Though with the way our married life has been so far, I shouldn't have been surprised."

It was his turn to flush.

"The fact of the matter is, I'm expecting." She finally said. "The doctor thinks I'm almost three months along."

"Expecting?" He couldn't quite grasp what she was telling him.

She tried not to laugh at what must have been a stunned expression on his face. "You know, expecting. Having a baby, being in the family way." And then she did laugh. "A bun in the oven?"

A baby. They were going to have a baby and he was going to be a father.

"Are you all right?" He could hear the concern in her voice.

"I'm fine." He squeezed her hand again to reassure her. "It's just that I couldn't help but think that a year and a half ago, I hadn't met you yet. I was still stationed in Washington and I hadn't seen my parents in five years. It's because of you that I'm here and it's because of you that my life became what it is."

She took his face in her hands and kissed him. "I love you too."

"So how are we going to explain all of this to him, or _her_?" He wondered belatedly as his wife quirked an eyebrow at him. "How will we explain to our baby why his, or her parents courtship was so unusual?"

"The beginning is always a good place." She laughed as her head went down on his shoulder and she tightened her hold on his hand.

"Where is the beginning, though? Should it be when I came back to Smallville, or when I went to interview you at the _Falcon_?" He asked as he rest his head on hers and smiled.

"A little background wouldn't hurt because we don't want to confuse the kid too much."

"All right." He thought about it for a minute and then took a deep breath. "Tell me how this sounds."


	2. Prodigal Son

December 7, 1941

_I'd never been big on nightclubs. _

_They were always smoky, smelled of cheap liquor and the entertainment was always second rate. I never liked having to frequent them, but as a Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation I often found myself in places that I'd rather not be. _

_The Falcon wasn't any different, except for the fact that it was in my hometown of Smallville Kansas and it was the first time I'd been back in five years. _

_It might have been longer if the Bureau in Washington hadn't received a call that there was some suspicious activity going on between the owner of the place and a prominent United States Senator representing Kansas. That raised a lot of red flags, so I was given a temporary transfer to our field office in Kansas City at the end of October to investigate. _

_Before I was sent back, I was told that information was being leaked from the War Department that was getting supply ships sunk by U-boats in the Atlantic. They were part of the Lend-Lease program that President Roosevelt began earlier in the year that were ferrying badly needed supplies to Europe. Our allies were in desperate straits and part of my assignment was to meet with the witness who contacted us in the first place to tell me what she knew. _

_And for some reason the Bureau, in their infinite wisdom, decided that in order for me to work as inconspicuously as possible on my investigation, meaning that they didn't want anyone to know that the FBI had sent an agent, put me undercover, as a newspaper reporter._

_Now what in the hell did I know about being a reporter? And why was it necessary to put me in a pair of glasses? I've got perfect twenty-twenty vision; I couldn't have become an agent if I didn't. When I asked for an explanation, they told me that no one would be remotely suspicious of a studious looking young man who was trying to make a name for himself at a big city newspaper. _

_Frankly, I hated the whole idea. But how do you tell your superiors that you think their idea stinks?_

_I was assured however, that I would only have to wear the get-up when I was in Metropolis in my role as Clark Kent, reporter at the Daily Planet. _

_Who would ever believe it?_

oooooo

He wasn't surprised that the joint was nearly empty. 

The Japs had bombed the hell out of most of the Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor Hawaii that morning without warning and suddenly the country was at war. Special Agent Clark Kent had seen scores of young men earlier that day lined up to join the Army, the Navy and the Marines because the war in Europe and Asia was suddenly an American war.

In the meantime, he was in another dark, smoky and claustrophobia inducing nightclub when he would rather have been home, having dinner with his parents. But after being back in Kansas for just over a month and establishing his undercover role of a newspaper reporter in Metropolis, while tracking down the other leads he had, it was time to get down to the business of interviewing the witness.

His overcoat and hat were checked into the coatroom before he walked in and stationed himself at the bar. A quick look of the place told Agent Kent that the bar was his best vantage point for watching the comings and goings. He might even have the chance to see the club owner with the senator.

"What can I get you friend?" He turned to see an older man behind the bar, in a white dinner jacket with a martini shaker in his hand. "My boy tells me that I make one hell of a martini."

"I'm not much of a martini man myself, but a scotch on the rocks would suit me fine." He replied with a slight smile, not missing the reference to 'his boy'.

"Scotch on the rocks it is." The older man answered and as he reached for a tumbler with one hand, pointed to the stage with the other. "You're just in time to hear our singer; she's been quite the draw since Lex hired her. She's got the voice of an angel and a face to match; at least that what _he_ says."

His comment struck Clark as odd. "What do _you _say?"

"_I_ say that Lois Lane is headstrong, opinionated, and stubborn and it's nearly impossible to have a reasonable conversation with her at times. But she _does_ have the voice of an angel and after what happened this morning it seems to be a tonic for those few who've chosen to venture in this evening." The lights dimmed and the bartender looked at his watch before he put Clark's drink down on the bar. "Keep your eyes on the stage over there and you'll see what I mean."

_Lois Lane? _A _singer _was his witness?

He frowned as he took a sip from the glass and then glanced up. A spotlight was trained on the front of the small stage as the band began to play. And into that light stepped the canary with the voice of an angel.

Clark understood what the bartender meant when she began to sing, "_I want somebody else, somebody who needs me_."

She had a hell of a voice.

And he utterly surprised himself when he took notice not of her face, but of how she _looked_. The silk dress she wore fit her in a way that was designed to draw a mans eye, it was certainly drawing _his_. Her hair looked to be light brown but it was hard to tell under the spotlight. It was a mass of curls that tumbled down past her shoulders and a gardenia was tucked over her ear. In a word, she was gorgeous.

She'd also caught the eye of another man that had come to stand next to him just before the lights dimmed. "Isn't she something?"

"If _that's_ what you're looking for, stand in line." Clark hadn't met her yet and she already intrigued him. His intrigue wasn't because of how she looked or that she could sing, but of _both_ those things _and_ the fact that she'd had the moxie to call the FBI with something she'd overheard.

The song was over before he knew it and she was gone. The spotlight was off and the lights in the nightclub were brought back up and the band began to play again. That was his cue to go find her and see what it was that she had to say. He tossed down what was left of his drink and pushed away from the bar.

"Leaving already?" The bartender leaned over. "Before you do that, I was asked to give you something."

"What would that be?" Clark was a little confused and suddenly very wary.

"It seems as though you caught the eye of our resident canary and she asked that this be delivered to the tall fellow at the end of the bar." He handed Clark a folded piece of paper. "Since you're the only one that fits the bill, I can only assume that she meant _you_."

"Thank you." And he took the paper. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Lionel Luthor. My son owns this place." He smiled and took a drag on a cigarette. "I'm retired from the family business and help out here to keep busy."

_That would explain the reference._

He opened the note and it was from Lois Lane: "Get your hat and coat and come down to my dressing room. It's the second door on the right."

"Lois isn't the type of girl to leave notes for customers. You must have really caught her eye." Mr. Luthor commented.

"She sure caught _mine_." Clark played along and plastered a knowing smile on his face. "She wants to see me."

The older man suddenly leaned across the bar and his look was deadly serious. "The one thing I want you to remember is that she's a singer and nothing more. Do you understand me?"

He understood perfectly, but Mr. Luthor didn't need to know that. "I think that's up to her, don't you think? She _is_ a grown woman after all."

"This place may not look real high class, but we're not the type of joint that provides extra benefits for customers and Lois knows that. That's one of the main reasons she took the job. Other places wanted her to render services because as you may have noticed she's got looks, but she isn't that kind of a girl. Am I getting through?" He sounded very much the overprotective father and that interested Clark.

He wasn't about to push his luck, though and he nodded. "Loud and clear."

"Good. Now if your done, I would suggest making quick work of whatever it is that she wants. Her dressing room is down the hallway just outside the club. Her last show is in a couple of hours and I don't believe that she's had dinner yet, so don't take too long." He picked up the empty tumbler and turned away.

_Talk about a conversation stopper. _

He walked out of the club and after he collected his hat and overcoat, turned and headed cautiously down the hallway, looking for her room. He came to the second door on the right and knocked. He waited for a moment or two and when there was no answer moved to knock again.

The door was jerked open and he was pulled inside before the door closed again. When he turned around, she was standing in front of it with her arms folded across her chest. "You are _much_ too good looking to be a Fed."

_Talk about a conversation _starter

"I beg your pardon?" Clark was startled by her directness.

"Handsome, my father is a three star general and I grew up learning how to identify service types and government types. And you positively _shout _federal agent."

"Well Gorgeous, _some_one has to be an agent for the government. Why _not_ me?" Her eyebrow shot up and he found himself in a struggle to maintain a straight face.

_This was going to be interesting._

"Do you usually call a witness Gorgeous?" She asked as she remained in front of the door.

"Do _you_ usually call an FBI agent Handsome?" He countered and she seemed to relax a little. To further ease her mind, he pulled a thin wallet out of his breast pocket and opened it. It contained his identification and badge and held it out, to show her that he was on the level.

She took it from him and looked at it. And then she looked up at him. "This picture doesn't do you justice."

"Identification pictures rarely do Miss." He told her as she handed the wallet back to him and he promptly tucked it away.

"Dropping the Gorgeous already?" She smiled at him, but it didn't take much to see that it wasn't genuine. He supposed that in her line of work, she had to be careful who she revealed herself to. But he understood that because it was much the same way with him.

"Only because we need to get down to why I'm here. The bartender will probably have someone down here in short order since he has the idea that I'm here for something other than talking." He explained as he dropped his coat and hat on the back of a nearby chair.

"Lionel's all right. He gets a little overprotective, but that's because the other girls _need _protecting sometimes." She shrugged her shoulders in resignation. "Nature of the job."

"He seems to run a pretty tight ship and doesn't put up with customers that get out of line." Clark observed.

"That's why there's always a line of girls that want to work here. They know that they'll get a fair deal and fair wages." She told him as she walked behind a changing screen that was set up in front of what appeared to be a small bathroom. "Why don't you sit down and make yourself comfortable. We can talk while I change."

"Why bother if you have another show to do?" He wondered out loud and began to feel curiously uncomfortable.

"Oh I'm all done for the night. Lionel just told you that so you wouldn't hang around for too long." She revealed before she abruptly changed the subject. "So the FBI sent you all the way from Washington just to talk to me. It's about time."

_She spoke her mind; he'd give her that._

"We _have_ been working on this since you called the Bureau. When the subject involves a United States Senator, Washington tends to take notice even when you think they're not." And he pulled a notepad and pen from his other inside pocket. "So what can you tell me? Did any papers change hands, or money?"

"It's like I said in my telephone call. I was standing just outside the club, behind the curtain in the coatroom where they couldn't see me; but I could see them. They were seated at the bar and I couldn't see anyone else there. Lionel must have been in the back room doing inventory and Lex was there with someone who identified himself as Burke."

"That would be the senator from Kansas." He said to himself as he continued to take notes.

"You got it Ace. Anyway, they were talking about Lend-Lease and how it was costing Americans a lot of money to finance a war that we weren't in. Lex sounded as though he were in complete agreement."

"I shouldn't have to remind you, but it isn't a crime to disagree with what your government does." He glanced up toward the sound of her voice without thinking and saw her dress draped over the top of the screen and finished distractedly. "This isn't Nazi Germany."

_What was he getting himself into? _

"I'm not stupid Agent Kent. And you didn't let me finish what I was saying." He heard a sigh of exasperation. "Men."

He tried to concentrate on his notes and stop the sudden urge to laugh. _Keep it professional, Kent. _"My apologies Miss Lane, you were saying?"

"I wouldn't have called just for that because you're right, we aren't living in Nazi Germany. But it was the fact that Lex was asking this Senator Burke for information on the merchant ships that were sailing to Europe. He seemed really interested in shipping routes and the cargo they were carrying. He said that in the right hands the information could be quite valuable."

Treason and espionage, if he could prove it. And if Special Agent Kent had anything to say about it, Leavenworth would be baby-sitting Lex Luthor and Senator Burke for the rest of their sorry lives, although Alcatraz _did_ have it's own appeal.

He just needed to corroborate Miss Lane's story to put them there.

"I'm starving." He heard her proclaim as she stepped from behind the screen and she looked like a completely different girl. "And if you're the gentleman I think you are, you can buy me dinner."

He didn't realize he was staring until he saw her hands move up to a hat that she was securing to her hair with hatpins. "What's the matter Agent Kent? Never seen a girl in a dress before?"

It was a ludicrous question, but she'd done it to get his attention. It's just that the way she looked was night and day to how she was dressed when she pulled him into the room. "I'm sorry for staring; I just didn't recognize you."

"It's amazing how different I feel when I'm not in that get up and all it takes is a little soap and water and a good stiff hairbrush." She tossed off his apology. "Besides, once I'm cleaned up I can walk out of this place and no one recognizes me, much."

"Much?" How they would recognize her at all was beyond his ken. Her face was washed clean of the stage makeup and her hair was tied back with a ribbon that complimented the floral print dress she'd changed into. She walked to her vanity and slipped her feet into a pair of heels before she picked up her handbag.

"I get the odd look here and there from men because they think they recognize me. But a good swift elbow in the ribs from their wives or sweethearts disabuses them of that notion pretty quickly."

He shook his head in quiet amusement, not certain she would appreciate the reason for his mirth.

"You still look too much like a Fed though." She gave him the once over. "Maybe if you relaxed a little and tried to _smile_, you wouldn't be so obvious."

"Miss Lane, I'm an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation currently working on a case." He said it as though that were all the explanation she needed as he tucked his notepad and pen back in his pocket.

She looked as though she wanted to say something, but chose not to. "Fine. But just because you're working on a case, doesn't mean that you can't buy a lady dinner as part of the investigative process."

She was something. _Knock it off, Clark._

"I can't fault your logic on that point." He nodded in agreement. "Now if memory serves, there should be a coffee shop about a half block down the street. The food was never fancy, but it always tasted good."

"Just like mom's home cooking, is that it?" She laughed as she pulled her coat off the coat rack and handed it to Clark.

He managed to maintain a straight face and feigned insult as he held her coat and waited for her to put her arms through the sleeves. "Nothing is as good as my mother's cooking, _nothing_."

"Sorry G-man. I didn't realize that I was insulting your mother's honor." She rolled her eyes as she buttoned up and then picked up his overcoat and hat from the back of the chair. He took the coat out of her hand and watched curiously as she skimmed her fingers along the brim of his hat while he put his arms through the sleeves of his own coat.

It looked as though she were thinking of something, or perhaps some_one_. "I don't think I've ever seen my dad in civvies."

"Service man?"

"He graduated near the top of his class at West Point." She nodded. "In fact, Dad was _born_ in khaki diapers."

Clark was confused. "I don't follow."

"He was born in an Army hospital." Miss Lane explained to him. "_His_ dad was career Army too, but he came up through the ranks."

"And now that we're at war, you're going to be a W A C." He deadpanned.

"I'd rather dig ditches." She answered as she handed his hat to him, walked to the door and Clark hurried over to open it. "You really _are_ a gentleman."

"You can blame my parents for that." He shrugged his shoulders.

"I'd like to _thank_ them." She remarked as he followed her out and closed the door behind them. She pulled a key from the inside of her handbag and locked it, before tucking it away and leading him down the hall. "So where is this place?"

"Close enough so that I can walk you home?" It was a question more than a statement.

"Don't tell me, you were a Boy Scout?"

"Eagle Scout actually, and it wasn't a random question." He informed her. "You're an FBI witness and I'm walking you home after we eat so that I can make sure that no one follows."

"Why?" She asked with a frown as they stepped out into the cold air. "No one knows who you are or that I've talked to you. As far as anyone is concerned, we're just two people out for dinner."

"Where _do_ you live?" Clark asked.

"I live above the Falcon. It makes things much simpler." Miss Lane answered. "Less chance of missing a show because of bad weather."

"Good thinking." He nodded as they began to walk and he scanned the different storefronts, looking for O'Brien's Diner. Maybe it wasn't open anymore, he hadn't really had time to come into town and reacquaint himself with everything.

It ended up not to matter because they only managed to get a few feet away from the building before he heard the distinctive sound of a silencer as a gun was fired. Either the shooter was an incredibly bad shot, or Agent Kent had just been given a warning. He wasn't about to stand around and find out and pulled his companion back toward the Falcon as a second shot was fired.

The bullet burrowed itself into the brick and mortar a couple of feet away from Miss Lane and without another word, Clark pulled her into the lee of the building and pressed her against the wall. He used his own body as a shield to protect her as he'd been trained, stood stock-still and listened.

All he heard was the sound of a pair of shoes scuffing the sidewalk as the shooter took a powder. He continued to listen but there was nothing; nothing except the sudden feel of a pair of hands that pushed against him.

He stepped away and his witness looked frightened and flustered. "As much as I enjoyed that Handsome, what the hell was that?"

Clark looked her over and tried to get the rapid beat of his heart to slow. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, except for the fact that someone just shot at you."

He shook his head. "I don't think those shots were meant for me."


	3. The Price of Information Part I

_Lionel didn't want the place open after what happened that morning at Pearl Harbor, but Lex insisted that his father open the Falcon for business as usual. The girls and I were with Lionel on this one because we didn't feel that it was right. The Arizona had taken direct hits and sank where she'd been moored. The Oklahoma and Utah were hit as well and both rolled over; the Navy was still trying to rescue survivors. The Cassin and the Downes were in dry dock and I couldn't understand why the Japs would bomb ships that weren't of any use to the Navy in their condition._

_Lucky for us though, all the aircraft carriers were out on maneuvers. So the Pacific Fleet wasn't a total loss. _

_Meanwhile, in the cream corn capital of the world, I'd come face to face with a Fed that had been sent from Washington. To be perfectly honest, I thought that my telephone call had been at best, ignored or at worst, taken as the overactive imagination of a hysterical female. _

_But I know what I heard. And even though we weren't in the war yet, I knew that it couldn't be the policy of the United States government to leak information about allied shipping routes and cargo from the War Department. _

_I also thought it was a little odd as well that a United States Senator would be mixed up with the owner of a small town nightclub. Not that the Falcon isn't a great place to work. Lionel's a doll, even if he _is_ as overprotective as my father. But he keeps the customers in line and makes sure that their hands stay off the girls._

_I can take care of myself, though and have tried to explain that to Lionel. My dad is a three star general in the United States Army and he taught my sister Lucy and me how to cope with any situation that we might find ourselves in. _

_I also learned from careful observation, as the daughter of an Army officer how to spot a serviceman when he was in civvies and how to recognize fellows who worked for the government. _

_I spotted the Fed, standing at the end of the bar just before I went on stage. It didn't take much to figure out who he was seeing as how, as he talked to Lionel, he was watching everything that was going on around him and probably remembering all of it. But I also noticed that he was awfully good looking and the double-breasted pin striped suit he wore fit him better than a suit on a Fed should. _

_Once I stepped into the spotlight, I couldn't see him anymore. And as I went through my number, tried to figure out a way to get him back to my dressing room without raising too much suspicion. He was trying to keep things low key on his end and I needed to do the same. _

_As soon as I finished singing and got offstage, I found a pad and pen. I told him where to meet me and then pushed the note into Lionel's hand asking him to deliver it, while I took the backstage hallway back to my room. _

_Little did I know that less than twenty minutes later, someone would be using him as target practice._

oooooo

"As much as I enjoyed that Handsome, what the hell was that?" Lois Lane didn't know what shook her up more. The sound of a gun being fired, twice, or the fact that a man she didn't know had her in a proximity that under ordinary circumstances would have earned him a well deserved slap across the face. Or was it that what she felt under her hands when she pushed him away was solid muscle?

She shouldn't be noticing things like that.

Lois couldn't tell if he were surprised or shocked that someone had gotten him in their crosshairs because his main concern seemed to be her. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, except for the fact that someone just shot at you." She started to shake as the gravity of what just transpired sunk in, and he certainly didn't help matters when he shook his head.

"I don't think those shots were meant for me."

_Was he kidding?_

"Of course they were meant for you." She frowned at him and put her hands on her hips in irritation. "Why would anyone shoot at me? I'm just a singer in a small town nightclub. The fact that you're a Fed is so obvious it's laughable."

He grasped her arm firmly and pulled her toward him. "And that's a fact that I would like to keep quiet, Miss Lane. So I would really appreciate it if you would keep your voice down."

Lois pulled her arm out of his firm hold. "You don't need to be a brute about it."

"I'm sorry." He apologized to her. "The first thing I need to do it get you home. At this point, it doesn't matter who the target was because that second shot was too damn close to either one of us. And I would feel much better if you were in your apartment with the door locked."

"I really think you're overreacting Agent Kent." She put a hand on his arm. "Who ever it was took their shots and they're long gone. Besides, I haven't eaten yet."

"Why don't you just make yourself something then?" He asked the logical question but the Agent had no clue that she couldn't cook. However, he didn't need to know that.

"After a long day of rehearsal and performing, the last thing I want to do is cook." She stated in such a way as to convey to him that she didn't have the time.

He took her by the elbow and guided her back in to the Falcon. She tugged to guide him toward the staircase that wound up to the club's lone apartment. "Miss Lane, if I have time and the ability to cook over a two-burner, surely with the run of a full kitchen you can manage something."

"Now how would you know that I have a full kitchen?" She couldn't help but tease because he was so damn serious; the Fed really needed to loosen up a little. "I don't remember ever inviting you up."

He cracked a smile and it must have cost him to do so. "I think I would have remembered that."

"I would have made sure of it." She tossed over her shoulder as she ascended the stairs and out of the corner of her eye was rewarded to see a light flush creep across his face. Lois tried not to laugh as she continued up the stairs.

When she reached her front door, she pulled her keys out of her handbag. As she slipped the key into the lock, he joined her on the landing. "Agent Kent, I appreciate the whole Boy Scout routine."

"Eagle Scout." He reminded her and his smile got a little wider.

"I'm sorry, I meant _Eagle_ Scout routine." Lois amended her comment and tried to hide her own smile as she unlocked the door. "But I'm home now, safe and sound. So you can go back to where ever it was that you came from _or_ you can stay and cook me dinner."

_She did not just say that, did she?_

He seemed just as surprised and for a moment, very confused. "Cook?"

_Well Lois, you _did _start this._

"Yes, Agent Kent; I'm sure that you've heard of it. That nightly routine you perform over a two-burner." And she didn't bother to hide her smile then. "You did say a two-burner, didn't you?"

"I did." He shook his head, probably wondering what to make of his mouthy witness.

"Then you should be in hog heaven with a full stove at your disposal." And she couldn't help but laugh because he was beginning to look decidedly uncomfortable as he took off his hat.

"Miss Lane, it's not a usual practice for agents to cook while they're on duty."

"Well not for yourselves I'm sure, but is there anything in your rulebook about cooking for a witness?" _She couldn't help it._ "I'm sure that the FBI doesn't want them starving to death, do they?"

"That's what a restaurant and room service is for."

"That's true. But since _you_ ruled out a restaurant and there isn't room service available here, the only option is to cook."

He opened his mouth to reply when the telephone rang.

Lois looked at her wristwatch curiously before she walked to the telephone stand to pick up the receiver. Her father and her sister knew that she was usually downstairs at this hour and it seemed odd that they would be calling. "Hello?"

"_Loose lips, Miss Lane."_

"What? Who is this?" She began to tremble because the voice on the other end of the line sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it. She glanced at the Fed and must have had a look of panic on her face because in a few short strides he was standing next to her. He slipped the receiver out of her nervous grasp and tilted it so they could both hear.

"_Never mind who this is. You've been talking to a Fed and if you don't clam up, you might find yourself in a situation you wished you weren't." _The voice continued. _"Consider this your one and only warning. I won't be so considerate next time."_

And the line went dead.

"You told me that no one knew you called the FBI." He frowned as he put the receiver back in the cradle. "Well someone obviously knows and now we have to get you the hell out of here. At least until I can figure out what to do with you."

_What to do with her? _

"Agent Kent you don't have to do anything, except get out of my apartment. I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can. But you heard it yourself, you won't get another warning." He started to pace and then stopped in front of her. "What would your father say?"

_'Discretion is the better part of valor', is what he 'd tell her. _

"These were just coincidences." Lois didn't know who she was trying to convince, the Fed or herself.

"Two shots fired and a threatening telephone call in the span of an evening are not coincidences, Miss Lane. You don't need to be an FBI agent to figure _that_ out." He began to pace again and Lois could see that he was nervous. It had to be tough fighting an enemy you couldn't see and tougher still trying to protect a witness that was in sudden and unexpected peril.

She took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves and looked at Agent Kent. "All right, what do you suggest?"

"I've got an idea, but you're going to have to trust me." He walked back to the telephone and picked up the receiver before he looked at her. "Do you think you can do that?"

"I guess I have to."

"Thank you." He nodded and moments later. "Operator, would you connect me to Smallville5-0225 please?"

_Who on earth would he be calling at _this_ hour?_

He shifted his weight from foot to foot as he waited and it seemed as though someone picked up at the other end because he stopped shifting and then he sighed. "I'm sorry for waking you up. I wouldn't have done it if it weren't important." And he sighed again. "I need a really big favor and was wondering if you could help me."

oooooo

Twenty minutes later, Lois had a suitcase packed. She turned her key in the lock of the front door before she taped an envelope to it. In a note, she apologized to Lionel for leaving in the middle of the night, but she'd gotten a telephone call from her father and needed to go to him.

She clarified by telling him that because the United States was now in the war, her father was going to be sent overseas and wanted to see her. She told him that she would return as soon as she could, but if he felt it necessary to hire another singer in her absence she would understand. Lois felt terrible lying to someone she cared about, but the G-man explained that the story had to be plausible so that there wouldn't be any suspicion as to why she left so suddenly.

She still hated lying to Lionel.

The whole idea was so screwy and Lois didn't know why she agreed to go along with it. But with another telephone call to his field office in Kansas City, Special Agent Clark Kent had the backing of the Bureau to take her into protective custody.

_Great!_

In order to give credence to her story, he instructed her to take a cab to the station and wait for the train going to Fort Ryan. She was to board there, in case anyone was watching her and take it as far as Granville. He would meet her at the station and take her to a safe location.

He was being awfully tight-lipped about where that was, but he said it was for her safety as well as those who would be taking her in temporarily. If it had been anyone else _but _him, she would have told them to take a flying leap. But something, call it woman's intuition, told her that she could trust him and that this whole thing wasn't some sort of a setup.

Before Agent Kent left her to her packing, he told her that he would go to the train station and purchase a ticket for her. It would be waiting at the ticket window and she needed to be there no later than 10:30. The train would arrive at 10:45 and she needed to be on it.

She walked down the stairs and it never failed to unnerve her to see the place dark and deserted. Usually though, it wasn't until much later in the evening. Tonight, Lionel began to close after she finished singing. It was Lex's concession to his father for having opened the club in the first place.

Tomorrow, it would be business as usual. Only Lois wouldn't be there.

The cab came to a stop in front of the train station and after the driver got her suitcase out of the trunk, she paid her fare. She climbed the steps to the main platform and walked to the ticket window where there was indeed, a ticket waiting for her.

Lois must have looked as nervous as she felt because the ticket agent assured her that she wasn't late. Her nerves weren't because of the time, however. It was what Agent Kent told her about possibly being followed and wondered if she could pull off this charade of theirs.

She didn't have long to wait before the train bound for Fort Ryan came rumbling down the tracks. The whistle blew to announce it's arrival and while her first instinct was to make a dash for the Dutch door when they finally opened, she calmly picked up her suitcase and walked.

When she boarded and found an empty seat, a conductor helped her stow her suitcase in the overhead luggage rack and then she sat down with a sudden feeling of exhaustion. She couldn't relax just yet because she wasn't home free and took a surreptitious look around to see if anyone had followed her.

Lois figured she was probably in the clear. But even after the train began to pull out of the station she never let her guard down because it would be a bad tactical maneuver.

_Never let the enemy know that you're on to them_, Dad would say. _Keep the upper hand by appearing to be as oblivious as possible, but always keep watch._

To anyone who would care to observe, it appeared as though Lois was looking out of the window into the dark and maybe wondering why because there wasn't anything to see. But what they might not have realized was that she was using it as a mirror to watch what was going on around her.

When the conductor announced the Granville stop Lois wondered again just what it was that she was doing. She was really beginning to regret making that telephone call and wished for nothing more than the chance to go home so that she could sleep in her own bed.

She thought about it again however and knew she'd done the right thing even though her life was suddenly turned upside down and putting her trust in a stranger.

The train came to a slow and jerky stop and she stood up to retrieve her suitcase from the overhead compartment. She struggled to get it down the aisle because it seemed as though everyone in her compartment wanted to get off at the same time. But before she knew it the wave of humanity shoved her out through the Dutch door and deposited her on the platform of the Granville station.

Lois searched for Agent Kent and finally located him. The cloak and dagger routine was really starting to get on her nerves as he motioned her toward him. When she reached him, he took the suitcase out of her hand and without a word began to walk toward a car. He pointed toward it as he opened the trunk and set her suitcase inside as she got in.

When he got in and closed his door, he turned to face her. "So how did it go? Do you think you were followed?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so. But this whole thing has me so rattled that I don't know if I would have noticed."

"I know this isn't how you thought you're evening was going to turn out, but frankly, neither did I." He seemed to be trying to apologize to her. "This complicates what should have been a fairly straightforward and simple matter, but someone knew that I was coming to talk to you and I need to find out who. The why isn't too hard to figure out."

"The cargo ships." She sighed.

"That's it." He nodded before he started the car and as he drove away from the station, they fell silent. He didn't seem to be in much of a mood to talk, but she wasn't either. She had no idea how long she was going to be away, never mind that she didn't know where _away_ actually was.

"So can you tell me exactly where it is we're going?" Lois glanced at him. "I've trusted you so far, so I think it's only fair that you trust me with where you're taking me."

He glanced at her for a short moment before returning his attention to the road. "I'm taking you out to my parent's place. They're far enough out of Smallville that unless you know where they live, the farm is a little difficult to find."

"You never said that you were from Smallville." Lois had to admit; she didn't see that coming.

"I would have thought it fairly obvious when I was taking you out to eat." He said it in a matter of fact way and she sighed.

_Touché! _

He seemed to realize how his comment sounded because he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to be sarcastic, but I think it came out that way."

"Don't apologize, I should have though about it before I said anything."

And again they were quiet, the strain of the sudden turn of events finally taking its toll on the both of them. But Lois never felt as though he resented her for being in their current situation.


	4. The Price of Information Part II

"This isn't your fault." He broke the agitated quiet and she wondered how he could possibly know what she was thinking. "You did what you felt was the right thing to do. You overheard something that you knew was wrong and wanted to help."

"You're not going to tell me that it was the patriotic thing to do are you?" It came out much more sarcastic than _she_ meant and sighed. "I'm sorry. It's been a really long day and I just want to go home."

"I know you do and I'd like nothing more than to let you. But until I can find out who knew about our meeting, it's best if you lay low for awhile." And he seemed to sense that she was going to ask how long that would be because he continued. "And how long that's going to be, I really can't say."

"Great." She rolled her eyes and looked out the window into the darkness. She heard him sigh and couldn't help but think that he was beginning to regret the whole thing.

Her eyes opened with a start when Agent Kent touched her arm, not realizing that she'd closed them and fallen asleep. "We're here."

Lois didn't know exactly what she expected to see, but it certainly wasn't a yellow farmhouse. A single light was on and she saw an older couple standing together on the porch.

"Your parents?" She asked the obvious question and braced herself for his dry reply. She was surprised when it didn't come.

"Jonathan and Martha Kent. This land has been in Dad's family for generations." He told her and she could hear the pride in his voice. "He worries about what's going to happen when he can't farm it anymore, since I won't be here to take over."

"I don't suppose he would consider selling?" _Another obvious question, Lois._

He shook his head. "He'd lease the land before he'd sell it because _my_ sons might want to be farmers."

Lois couldn't help it and laughed. "What if you only have daughters?"

For some reason, her teasing seemed to annoy him and he gave her an irritated glance. "Then they'll _marry_ farmers." He frowned as he got out of the car and closed the door with a decisive slam.

She sighed as he came around and opened her door. He held his hand out to her, to help her out of the car and as soon as she stood up he let go, to retrieve her suitcase from the trunk.

_This was just silly. _

"If I said something to offend you, I'm sorry." She closed her door and saw the bemused reactions of his parents.

"You didn't. It's just been a long day and I need to get some sleep." He sighed and took her by the elbow with one hand and walked her to the house, carrying her suitcase in the other. She glanced up at him and he did look beat. "Mom, Dad, this is Miss Lois Lane. She's the girl I told you about."

"Welcome Miss Lane, you must be tired." Mrs. Kent reached out and shook Lois' hand. "Please come in."

"Clark, why don't you take Miss Lane's suitcase up to your room. You'll have to put up with the sofa for tonight." Mr. Kent instructed his son and he nodded as they were ushered into the house.

"Sure Dad. If you and Mom don't mind, I'd like to grab a shower while I'm up there."

"Of course we don't mind." He smiled and it disconcerted Lois how much of the Fed that she saw in his father. "We'll just get this young lady settled in down here."

"Thanks." And he walked up the stairs, her suitcase in tow.

"You've had quite the adventurous evening, from what Clark tells us." Mrs. Kent smiled as she walked Lois into the kitchen before she opened the icebox and began to pull out different items of food.

"I don't know if I would call what happened tonight adventurous Mrs. Kent. But it wasn't a typical Sunday night; I can tell you that." Mr. Kent helped her off with her coat before she sat down at the table.

"It's true then, that someone shot at you." He looked worried and Lois wondered how often Agent Kent's father had that look.

"I wish he hadn't told you that, but I guess he had to. They had to be warning shots because if that's how good their aim was, Dad would have booted them off the firing range."

"Army?" Mrs. Kent asked as she began to put a sandwich together for her. She pointed at different ingredients as they talked and Lois either nodded or shook her head.

"West Point." She cracked a smile as she repeated it for the second time that night. Dad didn't like people to know that for some reason.

"Where _is_ your family?" Mr. Kent asked as he came back from hanging up her coat. "Are they close by?"

"Dad's stationed at Fort Ryan, but more than likely will be headed overseas now that we're in this thing. My sister Lucy is married and her husband is stationed in Berlin as an Army attache. He's West Point as well." She explained, leaving out the small detail that they _had_ to get married.

"And your mother?" Mrs. Kent asked as she put Lois' sandwich on a plate and handed it to her, along with a glass of milk.

"My mother died when I was six. I don't really remember her." Lois was matter of fact about it because she saw the look of sympathy in the older woman's eyes.

"I'm so sorry."

She shrugged. "I was always sorry for _Dad_. He's rough as sandpaper on the outside, but when he's thinking about my mother, he turns into a big softy."

"He still misses her." Mrs. Kent stated.

Lois nodded in agreement. "Not that the General hasn't had opportunities to remarry, though. There's something about a widowed man that makes him more attractive to women, don't ask me what that is. And all the attention Dad was getting from widows and divorcees was something he didn't want.

"He's a one-woman type of man and my mother was that one woman. Besides, I don't think he liked the idea of someone other than my mother being _our_ mother."

"It sounds as though your father loves you and your sister very much." She commented.

Lois smiled back. "He does, he just has a tough time showing it. My dad is in command of a large group of boys that he has to train for battle. It was hard for him to change his way of thinking with his two girls, that was supposed to be my mother's department.

"He's a good man who did the best he could with us and I can't really fault him for that."

"You're a lot like him, I'd say." Mrs. Kent smiled back.

It was then that Lois laughed because Agent Kent's mother didn't know how right she was. "I'm not sure that Dad would agree with you, but being raised on Army bases tended to make us more G I than civilian. But factor in that Lucy and I were girls, Dad made sure that we could take care of ourselves."

"He seems to have done a very good job."

"Thanks." She replied just before she tucked into her sandwich. "This is really good."

It was Mrs. Kent's turn to laugh. "When you have two picky eaters to feed, you learn what works."

"Martha, we're not picky." Mr. Kent sounded embarrassed but his wife just smiled at him and patted his hand as though to say, 'Whatever you say, dear.'

"Well this definitely works." Lois sighed. "Thank you, Mrs. Kent."

"You're welcome, Lois." She said and then laughed. "Is it all right that I _call_ you Lois?"

Lois was surprised, but it sounded nice. "It's fine."

Mr. Kent looked toward the stairs and frowned slightly. "I don't hear the water running so I'm going to check on Clark and see how he's doing." And he headed toward the stairs.

"I know he's a grown man, but I still worry about my son. He's a good agent and loves what he does, but he seems to do it to the point of exhaustion." Mrs. Kent remarked as she watched her husband. "He's too much like his father sometimes."

"My dad is like that too." Lois commiserated between bites of her sandwich. "With men like them, it seems as though there aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. So they stretch the day out farther than it was intended and wear themselves out."

A look came over Mrs. Kent's face that Lois couldn't read, a rarity for her and put her hand on Lois's arm. "It's so nice to have you here honey, more than you know."

Mr. Kent came down the stairs a few moments later with a look of amusement on his face. "I'm sorry, Miss Lane. But I'm afraid you're going to have to sleep on the sofa tonight."

Lois could see a look of disapproval from Mrs. Kent as she shook her head. "Jonathan we can't ask her to do that, she's our guest."

"Sweetheart, we don't have another choice. Clark's up in his room, out like a light and I can't wake him." He explained. "I expect he's going to sleep for awhile."

"Did he at least get his shower?" Motherly concern was evident and Lois tried not to laugh.

Mr. Kent shook his head. "He got as far as getting his hat and coat off and was probably thinking that he would just rest for a minute."

"He works too hard." She sighed with a concerned frown, reiterating what she'd just told Lois.

"Martha, when has our son _not_ worked too hard? That's always been his way." He walked into the kitchen and put an arm around her shoulders. "To ask him to do less would make him less than he is."

"I know." She seemed to concede. "I just wish that he'd take some of that energy he uses to do his job into finding someone to share it with. And I don't mean the kind of a situation he's in now." And her eyes went wide as though she'd said too much.

Mr. Kent glanced at Lois and then back at his wife with a knowing look. It appeared as though he was in a debate with himself about something, she wasn't sure what and then it slowly dawned on her.

She'd overheard a conversation between one Alexander Luthor and his wife a couple of weeks earlier and at the time their conversation didn't mean anything to her.

As was his usual habit, Lex would wait for her after her last set of the night and they would have a drink together. She didn't see any harm in it because he was an interesting and well traveled man who told her some interesting stories. But he was married and as such was off limits to her romantically. And while he didn't necessarily agree, he understood.

But his wife didn't seem to have that problem.

She'd come in to talk to her husband one evening and proceeded to tell him that she'd taken up with another man. The girl had a lot of brass, announcing to her husband that she was engaged in an affair and Lois wondered at the time why she would do it. Was it to make him jealous or perhaps to give him an ultimatum? She didn't know.

But from what she gradually began to recall from Lana Luthor's description of him, he was suddenly taking shape as the unconscious federal agent upstairs and she tried not to roll her eyes.

_This just isn't your night Lois. _

Special Agent Clark Kent, the man who was supposed to be protecting her was in an intimate relationship with the wife of a man who was suspected of espionage.

It was obvious that his parents knew about it and were extremely unhappy with the situation. But they both seemed to be resigned to the fact that even though their son made a decision they disapproved of; he _was_ a grown man.

000000

Lois was having the oddest dream and it felt as though she were floating.

She didn't understand why and her dream wasn't clear enough to decipher where exactly she was and why she would feel so safe and secure in her state of suspension. But slowly the floating motion became a kind of rocking and as she woke from her deep slumber, realized that she was in someone's arms.

And that someone was a certain Federal agent who'd relegated her to his parent's sofa by falling asleep on his own bed. As she opened her eyes and slowly regained her wits, she could see that he was taking her upstairs. "What do you think you're doing?"

"I'm taking you up to my room, what does it look like?" He glanced down at her with a start, looking surprised and embarrassed that she'd wakened in his arms.

"The hell you are." She struggled to get out of his hold and stand.

"Keep your voice down, will you? You're going to wake up my parents." His voice was low and he frowned.

"I'll wake up the whole damn county if you don't take me back downstairs." She kept struggling as he kept going up. "What kind of a girl do you think I am, anyway?"

Lois could see that her blatant accusation insulted him. "Do you honestly think I'm taking you upstairs for _that_? What kind of a man do you think my parent's raised?"

"Well if you aren't, then why _are_ taking me up to your room?" She persisted and then suddenly felt foolish. Lois' instincts about men were rarely wrong and her instincts about this one told her he was as decent as they come, in spite of his lapse of judgment with a married woman.

"I'm taking you up to my room because you took my sofa." And he cracked a smile.

_Maybe the Fed had a sense of humor after all._

"Here we are." He announced quietly as he set her on her feet in front of his open bedroom door. "Sleep well, Miss Lane."

The formality suddenly sounded so strange to her ears, seeing as how he'd just had her in his arms. "Lois, please."

"I'm sorry?" He looked a little perplexed and backed up.

"It seems to me that if I'm going to be staying here for awhile, we can dispense with the formalities." She elaborated and stuck out her hand. "Lois Lane."

He didn't seem to know what to make of the whole thing, but took her hand in his anyway. Then Lois' heart inexplicably skipped a beat as she felt her hand clasped in his firm grip. "Clark Kent, at your service."

She slipped her hand out of his and suddenly couldn't look at him. And if she'd been able to look at his face, she would have seen a mixture of curiosity and puzzlement.

As he stood in front of her, she realized when she finally did glance up at him that he looked completely different than the man who'd gone upstairs hours before. He was just out of the shower; his dark hair had been washed clean of the hair cream and was still damp.

He was clad in a tee shirt and pajama bottoms and looked much younger than he had before and Lois couldn't help but wonder how old he was. It never occurred to her to wonder before that moment.

"If you need anything, I'll be downstairs." He reassured her as he turned and headed toward the stairs.

Lois leaned against the doorjamb and watched him go. "Thank you."

He stopped and turned around to face her. "For what?"

"For all of this." She explained. "I know that you're just doing your job and that my being here isn't exactly standard procedure. You could have just as easily left me in my apartment the way I asked you too and took the chance that nothing else would happen.

"You asked me to trust you and I did, I do because you saw this whole thing through and made sure that I was safe."

"I'll admit that the circumstances are unusual, but I'm just doing my job." He deftly deflected her praise. "The FBI needs you to build its case against Luthor and Senator Burke because you're the only one we know of that actually heard them talking. We can gather all the evidence we need, but it always helps us to have someone who was a witness."

"So until you have the evidence you need, plus my testimony I'm stuck in protective custody." She sighed.

"I'm sorry, but that's the way it is for the time being."

Lois shook her head. "Don't be sorry. Just do what you have to do so that I can go home."

"I'll do my best."

"I know you will."

"Good night, Miss Lane."

"Good night, Agent Kent." They reverted back to formalities as she handed him the blanket she'd been covered in when he brought her upstairs. She watched him go back down and sighed again before turning into the room; it was probably all for the best anyway.

She closed the door behind her and saw that he'd turned down the bed for her. It was freshly made and it occurred to her that Agent Kent's mother probably changed it before he brought her out to the farm.

She could see where his innate decency came from after spending time with his parents. They were good people who went out of their way to help a stranger because their son asked them. They went out of their way to make her feel welcome, as though she weren't imposing, which she was.

She slipped into bed and reached over to the night table to turn out the light. She pulled the blankets up to her shoulder and then lay down in the dark. So much had happened to her in the span of a few hours and now her life was in the hands of a Special Agent of the FBI. A very good looking agent, at that.

_A very _taken_ FBI agent, Lois. _Was her last coherent thought before she gave into the drowsiness she felt, closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep for the night.


	5. For the Duration

Clark wakened slowly and realized with a sigh that he'd fallen asleep when all he intended on doing was resting for a moment or two. His suit had gotten rumpled in sleep and wanted nothing more than to get into the shower and then go to bed.

It didn't take him long to realize though, that there was an unexpected houseguest and he was supposed to have given her his room. He knew that he needed to rectify the situation, but before he did anything else he _had_ to get cleaned up.

When he opened his bedroom door and looked out, it was obvious that his parents had gone back to bed because the house was dark and quiet. He didn't hear any movement downstairs and it was probably safe to assume that Miss Lane had gone to sleep as well.

So he took that opportunity to get into the bathroom.

Twenty minutes later he was freshly showered and ready for bed. He padded out of the bathroom as quietly as he could and felt a lot better than he had when he'd fallen asleep. That was due more to the fact that he wasn't in a suit, because after five years he still wasn't completely comfortable in them. He and Dad always dressed for comfort around the farm and they only dressed in suits on Sundays or special occasions.

He toweled his hair as he walked back to his room and considered what he was going to do about the witness downstairs. He was given the okay by the field director to keep Miss Lane at the farm for a day or two, but that was only until he found another place for her.

But how was he supposed to do that while maintaining a cover and doing his job as a Federal agent?

What kept nagging at him though was, who took those shots at her and why? Someone was obviously following them and it seemed, close enough to hear them talk. And if someone _had_ been within earshot of their conversation, they would have heard him tell her that he was FBI.

Damn! He'd tried to keep the situation as low key as possible and it seemed as though it was his own words that put her in the position she was in now.

He sighed in exasperation with himself and ran a hand through his damp hair.

Well, what was done was done and now it was his job to keep her safe. In addition to that, he needed to find out what information Lex might have passed on to the Germans and he needed to find out who was responsible for the chain of events that put Miss Lane downstairs.

He'd never met anyone quite like her and he wasn't sure what to make of her really. He was also quickly beginning to realize that in a matter of only a few hours he was losing his objectivity, when it came to her. And that wasn't going to do her or his investigation any good.

He needed to move her as quickly as possible.

Of course, he hadn't meant that to mean moving her from the sofa to his bed. But since this was _his_ brilliant idea and his mother would be mortified to see their guest still downstairs in the morning, there was only one thing to do. He had to get her upstairs.

He gave one last good rub to his hair before he hung the towel up in the bathroom, headed down to the parlor where he found Miss Lane asleep. When he reached out to wake her however, he realized that if he _did_ he'd more than likely be subjected to a barbed comment he was sure to receive because _she _was on the sofa instead of him. And he wasn't in the mood for it.

So as quietly and gently as he could, Clark got one arm under her knees and the other behind her back and picked her up. He saw her frown slightly as he shifted her in his arms and walked slowly toward the stairs. She was light as a feather and the feel of her was something he knew he shouldn't be noticing, but he did. And then he found himself making an unexpected and unwanted comparison between the girl he was holding and the girl he'd been intimate with.

If he wanted to admit it to himself, which he certainly did not, there _was _no comparison.

He was brought out of his reverie with the situation he'd hoped to avoid. His plan had been to get her upstairs and into his bed without waking her before going back down to the parlor to sleep on the sofa. But with the way the night had gone so far, it's exactly what she did.

When she realized where she was and where Clark was taking her, she got angry. And when she told him why she was so upset, he was sorely tempted to drop her on her backside. She actually thought that he was the kind of man to press unwanted attention on a woman. And in his parents house no less.

He let her know quite clearly that he didn't appreciate her assessment of him and that seemed to bring her to her senses. The events of the evening must have finally taken their toll on her and she was lashing out at her situation to the most conveniently available target, him.

He was bowled over, then, when she suggested that they drop the formalities and address the other by their first names. He supposed it was her way of apologizing and when they shook on it, she went shy on him and slipped her hand out of his as quickly as she could.

_What was _that _all about? _

Clark was beginning to see what an enigma she really was. No sooner did he think that he had her pegged, when she did something that he didn't expect. She was making the whole ordeal pretty interesting and that had to be what was at the heart of his burgeoning awareness of her.

It _was _just awareness; it _had_ to be he told himself as he left her standing on the threshold of his bedroom. It just wasn't possible that there could be any interest.

_Could there? _He asked himself as he walked back downstairs and into the parlor, a vivid picture in his head of what she'd been wearing when she handed him the blanket she'd been covered in.

He _had_ to keep things professional.

That's all there was to it, he told himself as he sat down on the sofa and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. He was an agent for the United States government who'd been charged by the Kansas City field office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation to keep her safe. And it couldn't matter that he'd already discovered in the few hours they'd known each other that she was everything that Lana wasn't.

_She smelled of lilacs. _

He made _that_ discovery when he carried her up the stairs and again as he lay down on the sofa as he covered himself with the blanket that had covered _her._ And it was that gentle scent that lulled him into a fitful sleep.

oooooo

He didn't have any idea what time it was.

And for the exception of the kitchen, the house was still dark and he could only guess that it was too early to be awake. He'd informed the _Planet_'s editor, Perry White about the situation with Miss Lane before he left the afternoon before, so the older man told him to take care of what he needed to and not worry about coming in.

Even though Clark wasn't a regular staff reporter, Mr. White had been impressed with his way of reporting a story and given him some challenging assignments. He said he was doing it under the pretext of helping the young agent with his cover, but Clark could tell that the 'old news hound' as he referred to himself on occasion, liked what he wrote.

And he had to admit that he liked the challenge of running his investigation while trying to track down a lead on a story he'd been assigned because it kept him focused.

What he found himself focusing in on that early morning was the sound of soft feminine laughter. And the chuckle of a deeper male baritone. He was used to his parents being up early out of necessity, but part of that feminine laughter was unfamiliar, which meant that it had to be Lois Lane.

He heard the kitchen door and the sound of work boots as they moved out onto the service porch. He heard the door again and that could only mean that his father had gone out to start his work day. He wanted so much to help, but Dad wouldn't let him.

He had gently reminded his son when he first came home that four years of college, the FBI Academy and being a Special Agent made him overqualified to work on a farm. He had more important things to do.

So instead, he lay in the quiet with his eyes closed and listened to his mother and Miss Lane in a lighthearted debate about who was the more handsome, Cary Grant or Errol Flynn. And that progressed into who they believed was a better co-star for Cary Grant; Ingrid Bergman or Katherine Hepburn. For Errol Flynn it was no contest; Olivia DeHaviland, hands down.

And he found himself with a smile on his face as they continued.

"But you can't beat ol' ski nose for comedy." He heard Miss Lane comment about Bob Hope.

"Or 'Der Bingle' for crooning." Mom answered quickly because Bing Crosby _was_ one of her favorites.

"Or Glenn Miller for dancing." _She liked Glenn Miller._

"Or 'Moonlight Serenade' for romance." He'd seen his parents dance to that more than once and it was probably the only time he'd ever seen them hold each other so close.

"You got me there. All though, 'I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You' is pretty romantic too."

"You got me there." His mother laughed again, clearly enjoying the somewhat silly conversation.

"Are you sure I'm doing this right?"

"Nice even pressure, that's it."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. You're doing fine Lois."

_Lois?_ His goose was cooked.

As he continued to lay there and listen to them, he wondered how it happened. His parents seemed to have really taken to her and he didn't know how. Of course, he was upstairs asleep as they'd talked the night before so he missed the three of them getting acquainted.

They were being as quiet as possible, he knew, but Clark had never been able to change his sleeping habits. So that meant waking up at, and he winced as he looked at the Grandfather's clock in the corner of the parlor, five thirty in the morning.

He wouldn't have minded so much if he'd slept better, but all he could smell during the long night was lilacs. And he knew it would always be a fragrance that he would associate with her. He got a whiff of it as he tossed the blanket back and swung his bare feet over the side of the sofa and put them down on the floor.

He searched for his socks in the folds of the rumpled blanket because they'd slipped off during the night. That only happened when he tossed and turned too much and he refused to admit why. He stood up and stretched before running a hand through his hair and debated going upstairs and getting dressed or walking out to the kitchen.

It wasn't as though she hadn't seen him already, so the smell of fresh coffee and curiosity about what they were doing won out and Clark headed toward the kitchen.

She was baking a pie, or at least making the attempt.

Mom was standing next to Miss Lane, who had a flour covered roller in her hands and wearing a flour dusted apron. There was a flattened piece of pie crust on the counter as she followed his mother's instruction, who looked up when he walked in.

"Clark honey, you're awake." She smiled at him.

"That tends to happen in the morning." He remarked wryly, which earned him a disapproving frown from his mother.

"Jeez, G-man. _Some_one got up on the wrong side of the sofa this morning."

"There's only one side of a sofa to get up _from_." She was too damn cheerful for so early in the morning.

"Well you sure _found_ a way to get up on the wrong side, didn't you?" She smiled at him and looked too amused for her own good.

"That's because I wasn't expecting my bed to be taken last night." He frowned.

"You _could_ have just left me down here instead of carrying me up to your room." And she raised her eyebrow in what seemed to be a challenge.

He glanced over at his mother and all traces of amusement were gone. "Clark? Would you care to explain?"

"Go ahead G-man, explain it to your mother." Miss Lane smiled sweetly at him.

"Lois." Mom frowned slightly and shook her head.

"I'm sorry." She sounded chastened but the smile never left her face.

"Was there a particular reason _why _you decided to carry her instead of just waking her up?"

How could he explain that he didn't wake her because he didn't want to spar with her, and ended up doing it anyway.

For some reason, though, Miss Lane chose to help him. "He was just being thoughtful, Mrs. Kent. I'm a heavy sleeper, and with everything that happened last night he probably couldn't wake me up. Isn't that right."

She _was _challenging him, but why?

"I just figured that it would be easier to do it that way." He offered lamely and wasn't sure what his mother was thinking. What he did know was that he was probably going to be called on the carpet and reminded about proper behavior from her and Dad .

But Mom surprised him when she turned to Lois. "If you're such a heavy sleeper young lady, how did you know that he was carrying you upstairs?"

It was Clark's turn to raise a sleepy eyebrow at her as the smile left her face. "Yes, how did you?"

"Clark Jerome."

And he cringed as Miss Lane mouthed with a smile, 'Jerome?', but she hadn't counted on his mother's eagle eye because she looked at the younger woman.

"Jerome is a name that's been in Jonathan's family for generations." She explained quietly. "The tradition is that the first male in any Kent family is given that name."

"Which means that _my_ first born son will have 'Jerome' as _his _middle name."

"But that won't work very well if you have all daughters now, will it?" The smile was back on her face and from the looks of it, it seemed as though Mom finally had enough of their squabbling.

"The two of you are going to give me a headache and it's much too early for that." She sighed and put her fingers to her temples. "Clark, go upstairs and get dressed."

"Mom." Why did he feel like a kid that had just been punished and sent up to his room?

"No argument, now go." She raised a finger toward the stairs.

"And don't forget to clear up the sofa." Miss Lane added.

"Lois Joanne." Mom was starting to sound really exasperated.

'Joanne'? He raised his eyebrows at her and mouthed it with a smile.

She had the grace to flush and look truly chastised this time around. "Never mind, I can do it."

He couldn't help but grin because he'd managed to turn the tables on her. But he got the feeling that she would find a way to turn things back in her favor. "It's on my way upstairs, so I'll take care of it."

"As you should." She seemed to say under her breath, but it didn't go unnoticed because Clark's mother laughed softly and shook her head.

"It's at times like this that I'm glad Jonathan and I only had one child."

"So am I." Clark couldn't help himself as he turned back toward the parlor.

He heard his mother sigh behind him as he folded the blanket and stacked the pillow on top of it before he picked them up and walked toward the stairs.

All in all, not a bad way to start the day.


	6. A Shot in the Dark

A/N: During their discussion of radio shows, Clark mentions that his mother listens to The Bickerson's when he refers to Lois and himself well, bickering. The Bickerson's didn't actually air until 1946.

* * *

Mrs. Kent suggested she take a walk around the farm to clear the cobwebs out of her head.

Lois wasn't the kind of girl who was susceptible to claustrophobia, but the Fed hadn't let her go much beyond the porch since he'd brought her out to his parents place. And she was starting to go a little stir crazy.

His mother must have talked to him about it because not fifteen minutes earlier he relented and told her it would be all right, provided that she didn't go too far.

Of course, how far was too far? She had no idea how big the Kent farm was, so she didn't know what her boundaries might be. And she should have known Special Agent Kent would follow her out to tell her because she hadn't gotten far when she heard the front door open and then close.

"You might try to remember that it's forty degrees out here and getting colder by the minute. Which means that you should also know better than to be out here without a coat." He chastised from behind before she felt her coat being placed around her shoulders. Was he protecting her or tailing her?

"I would have figured it out soon enough and come back to the house; you didn't have to follow me out here." She told him defensively as she continued to walk while putting her frigid arms into the sleeves. He _was_ right, but she wasn't about to tell him that as she pulled the gloves out of the pockets and pulled them on, too.

"I told you not to wander too far from the house by yourself." He caught up with her and matched her stride as he chastised her again. "Yet you seem to be doing exactly that, and without a coat on." He added for good measure.

Lois stopped suddenly because she had an urgent need to give him a piece of her mind. "I am not wandering Agent Kent. I'm walking and I've put my coat on. Now I don't know about you, but I don't like being cooped up. Being cooped up makes me cranky and irritable."

"More cranky and irritable than you are now?" He raised an eyebrow at her and it made her want to smack him.

"I suppose you think you're being funny?"

"No, you're just being a little unreasonable." He sighed and shook his head. "Miss Lane, I'm not asking you to stay close to the house because I'm trying to make you unhappy. This isn't a prison and I'm sorry if I'm making it feel that way. But while you're here, I'm not only responsible for your safety but for the safety of my parents. They agreed to let me bring you out here because they wanted to help. But by doing this for me, they may have put themselves at risk. And in case you haven't noticed, my parents really like you."

She hadn't expected that last comment. "Why?"

"Why?" The Agent looked confused. "Why _not_? You treat them with respect, you try to help them as much as you can and Mom is getting the chance to spend some time with another woman around instead of just Dad and me."

That was a dash of cold water on her bad mood she didn't want. "I like your parents too."

"They can tell." He smiled at her. "Although Mom says the way that we've been bickering like a couple of kids, she's glad that she and Dad just had _me_ to raise."

"Well _I'm_ not the one who starts it, in case you hadn't noticed." She frowned and started walking again. His smile was doing funny things to her and it was a complication that she didn't need, nor particularly want. Especially when he was already spoken for, even if she _was_ married.

"Guilty as charged." He admitted and caught up with her. "But you're the first girl I've ever met who doesn't let me get away with it. Dad's pointed that out to me several times since you've been here."

"How long _do_ I have to stay here?" She wondered out loud, not thinking about how it might sound to him.

"There _are_ worse places you could be you know, like the morgue." He grabbed her arm to stop her, his grip firm. "If that bullet had been a couple of feet to the left you'd be dead, you do realize that don't you? And so would our case against Lex Luthor."

"If I'd known that I would be exiled to a farm in the middle of nowhere, I would have given some serious thought to calling the FBI." She fumed before she pulled her arm out of his grasp. "And if you _ever_ touch me like that again, you'll wish you hadn't."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that." He apologized and then smiled a little self-consciously. "We're doing it again, or hadn't you noticed?"

"Doing what?" She had a hard time following his logic sometimes.

"We're bickering, like the Bickerson's." And then he laughed. "Mom loves that program."

His smile was definitely infectious and Lois felt her bad mood dissipating. She cracked a reluctant smile and admitted. "Fibber McGee and Molly is one of _my_ favorites. I always laugh when Fibber opens the closet door because you know all the clutter he's packed in there is going to come down on his head."

"And he always says, 'I gotta get that closet cleaned out one of these days.'" He nodded in agreement. "Dad likes that one too."

It was funny how the mood changed so quickly between them. He was starting to relax a little more and she was beginning to feel less like a witness being protected. They walked side by side and their silence became much more companionable as she looked around, trying to fix in her mind where everything was. It seemed like such a large place and Lois couldn't help but wonder how Mr. Kent ran the place by himself.

Agent Kent seemed to sense what she was thinking. "Our place is small enough that Dad can run it pretty much by himself. At harvest time, he and the other farmers in the area get together and help each other get their crops in so that no one has to hire extra help. When I was training with the FBI I wanted to come home during the breaks to help out. But Dad told me that it wasn't my job to be a farmer and that he wanted me to stay at the Academy. Since I've been home he _still_ won't let me help, but it's been nice being here just the same."

"Well if you really want to help, pitch some hay or milk a cow or something while he'd not looking. _He'd_ never know." Lois thought she sounded pretty reasonable until he laughed. He wasn't laughing at _her, _of _that_ she was certain but couldn't figure out why he was so amused.

"When you get to know my dad a little better, you'll find out that nothing seems to happen on this farm without him knowing about it." Then to Lois' utter astonishment, the Fed actually _blushed _and seemed to feel the need to explain. "The night of Senior Prom, I brought my date back here to show her the hayloft."

"Those farmerette's fall for anything, don't they?" Lois raised an eyebrow of her own at him. "Really G-man, the hayloft?"

His face reddened even more, if that were even possible and he cleared his throat. "Actually it was _her_ idea."

"Let me guess, she wanted a roll in the hay with a farmer?" And then she started to laugh. And she laughed.

"It's not funny." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his overcoat and hunched his shoulders together, making him look less like a Fed and more like a disobedient son. "Dad caught us up there, even though nothing happened."

"Nothing happened because your dad caught you before anything _could_." She couldn't help but interject with another snort of laughter.

"_Anyway_. Once we came down, he drove us to Becky's house."

"Aw, her name is just like Becky Thatcher." She cooed, referring to the young love of Tom Sawyer. "How quaint."

"Why am I even bothering?" He stopped and glared at her. "How do you do that?"

"Do what?" She was enjoying his embarrassing trip down memory lane much more than she should, but it was such a departure from the overly serious Special Agent she'd met just a few days earlier.

"Make me feel like I'm fifteen and having trouble talking to a girl." And the moment it came out, Lois could see from the look on his face that he wished it hadn't.

She'd have to store that away. "So?"

He looked confused again. "So what?"

"So what happened when your dad drove you and Becky Thatcher home?"

"Her name was Becky Carmichael." He sounded awfully defensive.

"Okay. So what happened when your dad drove you and Becky _Carmichael _home?" She _almost_ felt bad for how much she was enjoying his discomfort, but not bad enough to stop.

He sighed and looked as though he were debating whether to tell her or not.

"Oh come on, you can't stop the story there. You _have_ to tell me what happened." She smiled at him.

"Well seeing as how you're not going to let me off the hook." He started.

"A hook you put yourself on when you started this little story." Lois reminded him, even though she knew it was completely unnecessary.

"Dad drove us back to Becky's and I had to explain to her father what I was doing with his daughter in the hayloft." His voice trailed off in humiliation and Lois doubled over in laughter.

"I'm glad you find this so funny." He said and if Lois could have looked up she would have seen him begin to smile. "I tell you about one of the most embarrassing moments of my life and all you can do is laugh."

When she finally regained her composure, for the most part and _did_ look at him, there was a smile on his face. His hands were still in his pockets, but his shoulders had relaxed. "So how much trouble _did_ you get into?"

"Not as much as I could have if Becky hadn't told her dad that it was her idea." He admitted. "So _she_ was restricted to her parent's place from that night until graduation. She was able to go through commencement, but had to miss the dance afterward. _I_ had to clean the Carmichael's horse stalls every day after that until graduation and dig a mile's worth of postholes every weekend for a new fence he was putting in. I had to do that in addition to my own chores here and I was also restricted except for going to the Carmichael's place. I went through commencement but couldn't go to the dance either. And to add insult to injury, she never spoke to me again."

"I'm sorry." She _was_ sincere, but with the smile still on her face she didn't think he believed her.

"I should have known better." He told her with a shake of his head. "The hardest part about the whole thing was that Dad wouldn't look me in the eye for over a month and Mom had this look of disappointment on her face for longer than that. _Their_ reactions were worse than any punishment my dad could have doled out."

"If it makes you feel any better, when I went to _my_ Senior Prom Daddy sent me with a full military escort." Lois made an admission of her own as she put a hand on his arm. "And my date was told in no uncertain terms that if he even _thought_ about putting a hand where it shouldn't be, the boys were ordered to shoot." Ten years later and the whole incident still made her flush in embarrassment.

"Am I safe in assuming that there wasn't a second date?" It was _his_ turn to laugh and Lois thought that it was only fair. _He_ was now finding amusement in her disastrous trip down memory lane, but she really didn't mind.

He looked different when he wasn't so serious. And if she let herself think about it, which she wasn't about to, she'd notice that he was really handsome. And nice, and thoughtful. _Don't do it Lois!_

They continued to walk and he was right about it getting colder. And what Dad taught her about the cold was that shared body heat could keep two bodies from freezing to death. At least that's what's she told herself as she got up the nerve to take his arm and move closer.

She didn't see him glance down in surprise because she refused to look up at him. "You were right about it getting colder." Was all she would tell him and tried to stop a smile as she felt his arm tighten, to keep her gloved hand closer to his body. _He was too nice for his own good._

"We can go back to the house if you like. I'm sure Mom will have some hot cocoa waiting for us." He offered but Lois shook her head. She was enjoying the fresh air, even if it _was _cold.

"The cold is different here." She remarked and wasn't sure if it made any sense to him. "Maybe it's because there's more open space, but it seems colder out here than it does in town."

"It's not, really. But in town everything is so crowded together, people, buildings, and cars that it only _seems_ warmer. That's been the hardest part about living in Washington, everything is so crowded. For twenty two years of my life I lived here, out in the open. The air was fresh, the smells were of nature and it always kept me grounded in what was important."

"So what made you decide to leave, if it meant so much to you?" She asked, before it occurred to her that she was inquiring about his private life. There had to be a rule against that somewhere, but the G-man didn't seem to realize it because they'd just discussed part of it in detail.

"Because of John Dillinger and other fellows like him. They terrorized good, decent people who were just trying to find a way of getting through hard times." She could feel his arm tense against her hand. "You remember what it was like. Bread lines and soup kitchens because people didn't have jobs and needed to eat. It bothered me to see men like him taking what they wanted for themselves, not caring that it could hurt other people.

"We were lucky living out here because the Depression didn't hit us the way it did others. I'm not saying that Dad didn't have a rough go of it for awhile financially, but we always had enough to eat. And if our neighbors didn't, we shared what we had. It wasn't much sometimes, but that's what neighbors did, and do.

"I made the decision to go to the FBI Academy after I graduated from Central Kansas because I wanted to do what I could to help put men like Dillinger and Al Capone away. The Treasury Department may have only gotten Capone on tax evasion, but at least he was put behind bars where he belonged. And Dillinger ended up wearing a toe tag."

There was a lot more going on underneath that wool overcoat and hat than she ever suspected and it surprised her, though it really shouldn't have. His mother tried to explain to her that the man she'd met at the Falcon was only one facet of her son and that as she got to know him better, would find more.

Lois didn't know if she was troubled or intrigued by the idea because she'd seen a facet or two since he brought her coat out to her. So instead chose not to think about it and just enjoy the accord they'd found with each other.

"So what made you decide to become a singer?" His tone was curious and she glanced up, not sure if he was serious. Her look must have told him just that because he nodded. "I'm serious. You asked me why I left Kansas and I'm asking why you decided to sing."

"Because I couldn't really imagine doing anything else." And she couldn't help but smile. "And I knew that Dad would hate the idea."

"So you did it to irritate your father?" It looked as though he was really trying not to laugh.

"No, I didn't do it to irritate Dad; I did it because it was something I_ wanted_ to do. Times were tough and I couldn't expect him to take care of me when I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself." She shrugged her shoulders. "I wouldn't be Sam Lane's daughter if I couldn't."

"Is it something you see yourself doing in say, ten years?"

_Did she? _

"To be perfectly honest, I hadn't thought about it." She told him bluntly. "I'm twenty-eight years old and should have been married by now, with a couple of kids. I guess I've just been so busy trying to keep a roof over my head that I never really considered where I'd be down the road."

"Do you _see_ yourself ever being married with a couple of kids?" She felt his arm tighten again and when she looked up at him, his blue eyes seemed to be searching her face. For what reason, she didn't know but felt her stomach flip just the same. _Watch it Lois! _

"I think that's a question that can only be answered if I meet the right man." She replied.

_Okay, this is crazy! _She thought. _You've barely known him for a week and your heart's already doing funny things in your chest. _

"I take it then that you haven't met him." He observed.

Lois pulled off her glove and held up her left hand to show him her bare ring finger. "Handsome, do you see a ring on this finger?" And to her utter confusion, he grinned. Not a smile, but a grin. "What?"

"You haven't called me that since the night we met." He observed. "I kind of like it."

She rolled her eyes at him as she put the glove back on fingers that were rapidly beginning to chill. "Well don't get used to it."

He rolled his own eyes back at her and kept smiling. "I guess I'll have to settle for G-man, then."

"How about settling for a walk back to the house. I think I'm ready for some of your mother's cocoa now." She moved closer to him. "I swear it's dropped twenty degrees since we've been out here."

"Hardly twenty. And nice evasive answer by the way." He laughed.

"What are you talking about?" His logic eluded her again.

"Never mind, it's not important." Now _he_ was being evasive and Lois' confusion grew.

"Come on, I'm going to lose a couple of toes if we stay out here much longer." She frowned.

He turned them around with a smile and nod of agreement and headed back in the direction of house where a warm fire and hot cocoa waited for them inside.


	7. Clark Kent: Cub Reporter

"Son, have you ever thought about changin' careers?" _The Daily Planet's _editor-in-chief, Perry White asked Clark as he sat on the other side of his desk; his freshly typed story in hand. "This is a fine piece of writing from someone who's never written anything more than duty reports. Those damn things are dry as kindlin', no offense Kent."

"None taken sir." Clark cleared his throat in an attempt not to laugh before he took off his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose. He really hated wearing the stupid things.

"Good. Now I must admit that when the FBI came to me with this scheme they cooked up I wasn't too sure how it was all goin' to work out. I understand that you boys have a job to do, but I just wasn't sure that I wanted my newsroom used as part of an FBI operation. But then I read a story like this and I wonder if you're in the right line of work."

"I just told the truth." Clark told him honestly. "That's what people want to read."

"Then can you explain to me, if hard news is so important, why our society page is so damn popular? If the people of this city want to know what the truth is, why would they care about a story involvin' Mrs. Alexander Luthor?"

_Because they were saps, like _he_ was?_

"It sells newspapers." He stated simply.

"Because it sells newspapers and I get to keep my job." He nodded his head in agreement and sighed. "You'd think that with a war on, people would want to know about _that_."

"Well sir, with the war not going very well right now, maybe they just need a diversion."

"Are you tryin' to put me out of a job Kent? Alice and the boys depend on me, you know." He smiled. "Ah hell, you're right. This war isn't goin' so well and it doesn't look like we're goin' to recover from Pearl Harbor real soon. Those bastards took out most of the Pacific Fleet and it'll take time for the shipyards to turn out more."

"Maybe we could do a story on that." Clark suggested. "It's something that would interest people and it could get them to read the hard news more than the society page."

"If we were in a state like California or New York I'd say you have a good idea. But we're landlocked in the middle of the country and there isn't a shipyard in the entire state."

"Well, what about a munitions factory, or an aircraft factory for that matter? I happen to know that an abandoned warehouse outside of Smallville was just reopened to build B-17's."

Mr. White sat forward with a look of surprise. "Now how would you know that?"

"My parents live in a small farming community and not much goes on without someone knowing about it."

"Do you think you'd have time to work on that and run your investigation?" Clark saw an odd gleam in the older mans eyes and got the feeling that he was remembering his own reporting days.

"Mr. White, would it be out of line for me to suggest that _you_ take the story? Just the other day you were saying that you don't get out of the office much. Well this would definitely get you out of your office and you could stretch your reporter's muscle."

He sat back in his chair and laughed. "I guess this is your way of sayin' that you won't have time."

"Not at all." Clark smiled self-consciously. "It just seems to me that a story like this needs the experience of a seasoned reporter."

"You mean an old news hound like me?"

"Something like that."

Mr. White sat quietly and it seemed to Clark that he was actually thinking about it. "I'll give it some thought, son. In the meantime, I'll let you get back out there." And he stood up. "Would it be presumptuous of me if I asked you how your investigation is goin'?"

"Slower than I would like. I've got too many loose ends and no way at the moment to tie them up." He knew that he was being evasive, but he didn't want to give too much away.

"It can be that way when a reporter is workin' on a story. Leads dry up or don't pan out and witnesses suddenly become uncooperative. It can be frustrating."

"That would be a good word, Mr. White." Clark sighed and put his glasses back on before he stood up and followed the editor to his office door.

"If you need help on _that_ front Kent, I hope you know that you can trust me." The older man was offering his help in whatever way he could.

"I appreciate that." They shook hands before he left the office and nearly ran into a petite blond who'd had her eye on him since he'd arrived. Miss Chloe Sullivan hadn't been so forward as to say anything, but she always seemed to be around. And when she wasn't volunteering to get him coffee or offering to proofread a story, she was in Mr. White's office trying to convince him to let her take on a story of her own.

So far the editor had managed to hold her request at bay, only making Miss Sullivan more determined to get what she wanted and to Clark's discomfort the one other thing she decided she wanted was _him_. It didn't matter that she'd caught the eye of a young photographer who made no secret of the fact that he wanted to get to know her better. But unless he could think of something to discourage Miss Sullivan's attention, Jimmy Olson was going to have a snowball's chance in hell with her.

"Pardon me, Miss Sullivan. I wasn't watching where I was going." His first instinct was to reach out and steady her. But touching her, no matter how innocent, would only be an encouragement to her. "My apologies."

"Don't apologize, _I_ didn't mind." She smiled at him and he tried not to sigh as he sat down at his desk. He pulled his notepad out of his inside jacket pocket and again went over the information he had so far. There was something missing, some piece of information that he was having a hell of a time finding and was no closer to figuring out how much Lex Luthor knew and exactly what he'd turned over to the Germans.

He was so engrossed in pouring over his notes that he didn't hear the soft whistles coming from different parts of the newsroom and only by chance did he happen to look up and saw Lois Lane making her way toward his desk.

_Now what in the hell was she doing here? _He wondered with exasperation as the telephone at his desk rang and he picked up the receiver. "Clark Kent."

_"Honey, Lois is gone. Your dad and I had to make a trip into town and when we came back, we couldn't find her anywhere."_ The worried voice of his mother tried to explain the situation.

"It's all right." He reassured her as best he could without drawing attention.

_"She's at the Planet, isn't she? I should have guessed."_ Her voice sounded more relaxed and Clark could swear she was trying to stifle a laugh. _"After Dad took you to the train station she said that she wanted to help you so that she could go home and mentioned how she thought it would be safe to take the train herself into Metropolis because no one there would know her."_

"Why am I not surprised?" He tried to give the appearance of a reporter who was interviewing someone for a story. He even went so far as to have his notepad and pencil at the ready. "I don't suppose talking to her did any good."

He pushed his glasses up so he could massage the bridge of his nose again.

_"You already know the answer to that."_ And then she did laugh. _"Well, I'll tell your dad where she is and that we can stop worrying."_

"Could you stay near the telephone for the next few hours, I may need to get in touch with you."

_"Sure thing honey."_

"Thank you." He set the receiver back in the cradle after he and his mother said goodbye and then looked up to see their topic of conversation standing in front of his desk, looking rather pleased with herself.

"Surprised?" She had a bright smile on her face that made it appear as though she was there to see _him_.

"Stunned, actually. I didn't expect to see you here." He admitted as he tucked his notepad inside his jacket pocket before he stood up, put his hands in his pockets and asked her quietly. "What _are_ you doing here?"

Miss Lane's appearance was perplexing and not more than a little worrisome and it brought Miss Sullivan back to his desk in a hurry, ready to defend her territory. The young blond looked at him and then at Lois. "Who is _she_?"

How could Clark explain her presence in the newsroom, when all he knew was what his mother relayed to him? He glanced at Lois and with a flash of probable suicidal inspiration he smiled as he came around from behind his desk, put an arm around her waist and predictably, felt her tense. "I'm sorry Miss Sullivan, I guess I should have mentioned sooner that I have a girl."

Miss Lane thankfully seemed to understand what he was doing and smiled, but he never felt her relax. "And I came down to your lovely paper to surprise my handsome reporter so he can take me out to lunch. Isn't that right Handsome?" She punctuated her comment to the younger woman by putting her hand on his chest.

"That's right, honey." He answered back with a smile of his own and tried to ignore the fact that his heart began to beat just a little harder with her light touch. He didn't even want to consider the idea that it was because she was so close to him, again. Or that he was catching the light scent of lilacs.

His heart quickly regained it's normal beat however, because without realizing it his hold had tightened around her and if a glance could kill he knew he'd be surrounded by a chalk outline on the newsroom floor.

What did she really expect him to do, though? Part of his job was having the ability to think on his feet and with her showing up the way she did, it seemed logical. He just hoped that she would continue to play the part.

It seemed to work though, because Miss Sullivan looked as though she wanted to say something, but instead frowned and then walked away. He couldn't help but hope that Miss Lane's appearance would put an end to the younger woman's interest in him.

"Clark honey, I'm going to whither away to nothing if we don't get something to eat soon." It was all an act and he knew it but felt his face flush at the endearment anyway, never mind the familiar use of his name. She patted his chest again and laughed because she seemed to really enjoy his sudden discomfort and felt the need to make an announcement to those gathered in the newsroom just before she kissed his cheek for good measure. "He's so bashful."

It was time to get the hell out of there because they were attracting a lot of attention. Clark let go of her so he could roll down his sleeves and when he'd finished buttoning the cuffs, his mischievous witness decided to continue the charade he'd begun. She stepped in much closer than she should have and he wondered what she was up to until she grasped his shirt collar and buttoned it. She then took his tie in her hands and slipped the knot into place. "We can't have you looking like a ragamuffin, now can we?" And she lifted an eyebrow, still clearly amused.

"Lois, with the way you look no one is going to give me a second glance." He made sure that there was just enough huskiness in his voice to give the other reporters the impression that he meant it. _Let's see what she did with that. _

He tried to hide a smile as she flushed a deep red and looked to be contemplating a reply, but no words came out. The question in his mind was, could she see this thing through because it seemed as though he'd left her speechless.

_What was _he _supposed to do? _He grasped her by the elbows and dipped his head to try and catch her eye. For some reason, she wouldn't look at him. "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded.

He pulled his jacket off the back of his chair and slipped it on, all the while watching her. He buttoned it up before he reached for his overcoat and hat from the coat rack. He continued to observe her sudden silence as he grasped her elbow and guided her out of the newsroom.

_All right Kent, what did you do?_

They walked out of the newsroom and took the elevator down to the ground floor. He took her elbow again to guide her toward the lobby when Miss Lane pulled her elbow out of his grasp, pushed him back into the adjoining elevator and then nudged the elevator operator out of the car. "We won't be but a minute." She smiled at him before she closed the outer door, then the inner and Clark was more than a little confused as to what she was doing.

He was about to ask her what was going on when she backed him up to a point where he couldn't back up any farther and found himself nearly nose to nose with her. She looked him in the eye with deadly seriousness. "That wasn't fair."

"I had to think of _some_thing to explain why you were here." His heart rate was picking up it's pace again and he needed to figure out a way to widen their proximity. "It made sense."

"I couldn't have been your sister or a cousin?" She frowned and then turned away from him.

He released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding and loosened the nervous grip on his hat. "No one would have believed that, Lois and you know it." And it wasn't lost on him that he'd used her name. "Besides, it more than likely solved a small problem I've had since I got here."

"The blond?" When she turned back around the frown was gone and looked really amused.

"She's a really nice girl but I just don't see her that way." He tried to explain with a nod.

"I guess raven-haired beauties are more your type." She said in an offhand way.

_Oh lord, did she know? _He didn't want to think about _that_ possibility.

"Lois, why _are_ you here?" Well, what the hell, she'd opened the door on that.

"I'm here to help you."

"You can help me by going back to my parents and staying put. The fewer people that see us together, the better off we'll be."

She seemed to make the choice to ignore him and slipped his glasses off to look at them. "Nice glasses. They make you look very... average."

_Average?_

"The Bureau seemed to think it was a good idea." He frowned at her comment as he took them out of her hands and put them back on. "I feel foolish because I don't need them."

"Well they _do _make you look pretty harmless."

The idea that she saw him as average or harmless really steamed him, even though it shouldn't have mattered. And if they were any place but the _Planet_, he would have been sorely tempted to show her how average and harmless he could be.

What _was_ it about her that got him to think about things or do things he wouldn't ordinarily think about or do? He asked himself that question as _he_ backed _her_ up until she had nowhere to go.

"Just remember that looks can be deceiving." And he leaned in close before reaching around her to open the inner door and then the outer.

What greeted them was a small group of people, including the elevator operator who tried frantically to plaster innocent looks on their faces. Clark had a pretty good idea of what they were thinking he and Lois had been up to and decided to let them think it. "She just couldn't wait until we got home, could you honey?" And he was again rewarded when her cheeks colored in a deep flush.

"Just _wait _until we get home buster." She said under her breath as she glared at him. But to her credit, when she turned around, she behaved for all appearances like a girl who had just been kissed and enjoyed it. "He's so impatient."

The group chuckled as Clark took her by her elbow again to walk out with her and he could tell by the tension in her arm that she would be pulling out of his grasp when they were out of earshot, which she did.

"Why didn't you just kiss me and humiliate me even more?" She hissed at him as she pushed her way through the revolving door and didn't bother to wait as he got stuck behind one of the _Planet_'s veteran photographers, trying to maneuver his camera equipment through the door.

"Sorry, Clark. I don't mean to keep your girl waiting for you. But she looks a little upset, so it might not be a bad thing." And he looked as though he were trying not to laugh.

"She gets cranky when she gets hungry, Jerry. So the faster you can get that equipment through there, the better it will be for me." He shrugged.

"Sure thing." And with a deft turn of one of the cases, photographer and camera equipment were through the door and Clark sighed before he stepped in and pushed his way outside.

"Lois." He tried to take her elbow again, but she wouldn't let him. Her eyes narrowed and for a moment he thought she might slap him.

"Don't 'Lois' me, Agent Kent. It was 'Miss Lane' this morning, remember?"

"Well you _did_ call me Clark." He sounded defensive and didn't like it.

"That was for the benefit of the newsroom and because I couldn't very well call you 'G-man', now could I?" She kept her voice low, which he appreciated.

"You did ask me to call you 'Lois'." Clark reasoned with her.

"And as I recall, you _didn't_." She began to walk up the street and he tried to keep up with her. Lois was upset and had every right.

"I had valid reasons."

She stopped suddenly and poked him in the chest. "But when it's convenient for _you_, _you_ decide to get familiar and use my name."

"Guilty as charged."

"So does that mean that I get to call you by _your _first name?"

He couldn't help but smile. "You already have."

Lois rolled her eyes and he could see her fighting a smile. "It was in the line of duty."

"Your hand on my chest was a nice touch." He grew a little more serious because he did like how it felt, even though it was something he knew he shouldn't have.

"Funny, I thought it would have been the fact that I kissed your cheek." She looked a little confused at his choice.

"It was in the line of duty." He tossed her words back with a small smile. "I put you in an incredibly awkward position up there and I _am_ sorry. I just couldn't think of anything else."

"Well, if my showing up helped put a "Not Available' notice on you so that you could do your job, then I suppose I shouldn't be too upset."

"If I'd told her we were married, that _really_ would have done the trick." He considered with a smile and was taken by surprise when Lois took his arm and stepped in close.

"That wouldn't have worked, seeing as how neither of us is wearing a ring." She reasoned.

"We could have eloped and not told our parents." He was enjoying the feel of her so close to him too much and prudence would have suggested that he put some distance between them. But he didn't particularly want to at the moment.

"If I'd eloped with the man I love, which I would never do by the way, there is no way that I'd be able to keep it from the General because he'd grill the groom until he admitted to everything." She revealed. "Besides, I wouldn't want to deprive Dad of walking me down the aisle. He didn't have that chance with my sister."

"_She_ eloped?"

Lois nodded. "Just before he was sent as an attache to the American Embassy in Berlin."

"Army?" _Stupid question, Clark._

"She wouldn't have dared marry anything _other_ than Army." She smiled. "Dad loves us, but the service rivalries run awfully deep."

"The best rivalries usually do." He commented. "So am I still taking you out to lunch?"

"Seeing as how an entire newsroom seems to believe that's what we were doing, then that's what we should do."

"Are you all right with that?" She was unreadable at the moment, so he couldn't tell what she might be thinking.

Lois looked up at him and gave him a real smile. "Since you're buying, I'm perfectly all right with that."

He deadpanned. "Since we're not actually dating, I thought we would go Dutch."

"But no one at the _Daily Planet _knows that."

"I'm buying you lunch."

"No, you're buying _us_ lunch."

"Semantics."

She shook her head. "Starvation."

_He was in serious trouble._


	8. Christmas Time in Smallville

For all of her talk about going into Metropolis to help Clark with his investigation, Lois ended up in the unexpected position of being introduced to the _Planet_'s reporters as his girl. If she'd told him she was coming, he might have been able to come up with another story but he probably would have also told her to stay at the farm. But Lois Lane wasn't a girl to sit back and let things happen, she wanted to do something. In fairness to the G-man, however, she inadvertently complicated his situation and may have made things worse.

Lunch wasn't as awkward as she thought it might be, except for the occasional glances from _Planet _staffers who walked by their table as they were being seated for their own lunch. But it wasn't until she saw Clark's face flush when he reached across the table to take her hand and quickly explained that he'd spotted Chloe Sullivan and a small group of girls walk in.

The gentle grip on her hand seemed to beg her to understand because of what transpired less than a half-hour earlier and she pressed her hand against his to let him know that it was all right. The truth was, she liked the feeling of her hand in his even though she knew she shouldn't. _Lois Joanne!_

The rest of their lunch passed without incident and when they were done, he paid the check and walked her out of the restaurant. The train station was only a couple of blocks away, but Clark gave her the option of taking a cab. She turned down the offer because with a two-hour train ride ahead of her, she wanted to walk.

He tucked her arm through his as they walked toward the station and it didn't go unnoticed by Lois that they were starting to do that, a lot. It wasn't as cozy as holding hands or as intimate as an arm around her waist, never mind that he'd done that too. But it was purely because of circumstance.

She felt his arm tighten against her hand to bring it into closer contact with him and she tried not to smile. He was starting to do _that_ a lot, too.

As Dad might say, Clark Kent was a riddle wrapped up in a puzzle. Or as Mrs. Kent had already told her, there were many different facets to her son. Either way, Lois didn't know what to make of him sometimes and that intrigued her. And that was bad news.

"And Dad said that we could go get the tree tonight." She heard him say and realized that he'd been talking to her.

"I'm sorry G-man, what did you say?" _Old habits die hard._

He didn't seem to take offense at it though because he smiled at her. "Am I boring you so much that you have to ignore me?"

That earned him a very unladylike punch in the arm with her free hand and all it did was make him laugh. "I wasn't ignoring you, I was just thinking."

"Do you mind my asking what about?" He looked at her with curiosity and there was no way on God's Green Earth that Lois was going to tell him that she was thinking about _him_.

"I was thinking that I need to take a walk around the farm when I get back. That lunch was bigger than I expected." She fibbed and could see from the look on his face that he knew it, but decided to let it go.

"Then I guess I shouldn't say anything about someone's eyes being bigger than her stomach?" He grinned at her. "Or how amazed I was to see you pack it all away?"

"You wouldn't even think about it if I told you that I'd tell your parents what you just said." She smiled back. "And here I believed that you were such a gentleman."

"All right, I give." He laughed softly and Lois got the feeling that he was enjoying their banter as much as she was. "So now that I have your full attention."

And it was Lois' turn to laugh. "For the moment."

"So as I was saying, when I get home we'll go get a tree and you can participate in the annual Kent family Christmas tree trimming party."

"How does that work?" _A tree trimming party? _

"Simple. Mom clears a spot in front of the window, and then Dad and I drag in the tree and put it in the stand. Between the two of us we get the lights strung because Mom's already tested them to make sure they work. Then before we hang the ornaments, we string the bubble lights and then after, we throw tinsel on the tree.

"This'll probably be the last year we can do tinsel for the duration, though. The government's been talking about rationing and Christmas tree tinsel will probably be high on that list." He concluded.

"Even though we lived on Army bases, Dad always made sure that we had a proper Christmas tree." She revealed to him as they walked through the station and down to the platform toward the train bound for Smallville. "He wasn't a man that indulged his daughters except for birthdays and Christmas. He wanted us to appreciate what we had because there were too many people that had much less than we did."

"Your dad sounds like a smart fellow."

Lois looked at him and shrugged. "You don't get to be a three-star general by being stupid. Dad's worked hard for everything he has and I don't know that I've ever told him how proud I am of him."

"Why don't you tell him, then?" Clark suggested to her. "Lois, when _is_ the last time you talked to your father? It might be a good idea if you call and tell him what's been going on."

"I already did." She admitted. "The morning after you brought me to the farm I called him and explained the situation. I also told him that he might be getting a telephone call to confirm my whereabouts and wanted him to know. He asked me if there was anything he could do to help and I told him that if there were, I'd call him."

"I'm glad you did; I should have thought to tell you to that." He looked a little embarrassed and Lois couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes you should have."

"_All aboard, track number nine! Granville, Smallville and all points beyond. Have your tickets ready, please. All aboard!"_

"I'll call Dad and ask him to meet you at the station." He took her hand and helped her up to board the passenger car.

"Thank you." Was it her imagination, or was his grip on her hand a little tighter than it should have been? He seemed to think the same thing and abruptly let go, just before the train started to move.

"I'll see you when I get home."

"Don't be late. We have a tree to decorate."

"I wouldn't miss it." He replied as the train picked up speed and then shoved his hands into the pockets of his overcoat. Lois thought he looked awfully pensive about something but didn't have a clue as to what it might be.

The conductor punched her ticket and directed her to her seat. Lois sat down and settled in for the trip back to Smallville and finally had the opportunity to think about what had taken place between her and the Fed, 'G-man'. _Clark._

If it had been anyone else, she would have refused to go along with such a ridiculous scheme. And she certainly wouldn't have let them touch her in such a familiar way. But since it _was _Clark Kent she did because she knew his reason was sound and more importantly, in the short time they'd known each other she'd come to trust him.

He hadn't given her a reason _not_ to.

00000

"I think you've outdone yourselves." Mrs. Kent smiled, as she looked at the tree that stood in front of the window, covered in lights and waiting to be lit.

"That's because I had some help this year." Mr. Kent commented with a smile as he put an arm around her shoulders and then looked at Clark. "It's nice to have you home son."

"It's nice to have me home because you were able to get a bigger tree." And he grinned at Lois. "I know how he really feels."

"All right you two, bring those boxes over here so we can finish up this tree." Clark's father directed them as he and Mrs. Kent strung the last of the bubble lights. "Sweetheart, if you would do the honors."

She nodded and went behind the tree to plug the cords in to the nearby outlets and Lois couldn't help but smile as the tree was suddenly bathed in colorful light. It really was beginning to feel like Christmas. And it felt even more so when the bubble lights began to bubble. They hadn't put an ornament on the tree yet and it already looked so festive.

Clark picked up one of the boxes of ornaments and gave it to Lois. His fingers brushed hers as he handed it off to her and she felt a small jolt, almost like an electrical shock and she had to stop herself from pulling her hands away and dropping it.

To her embarrassment she felt her face warm, rapidly. But what made the situation even more awkward was that his face flushed, too, as though he had the same feeling. "Sorry." He apologized to her as he quickly let go of the box he'd given her, began to look through the box he had in front of him and pulled the wrapped ornaments out.

"Be careful with that tissue, Clark. I have the feeling we're going to have to make due with it for awhile." Mrs. Kent requested and Lois could swear she saw a look pass between Clark's parents. "With all the talk about rationing, it's going to be difficult to know what we'll be able to get a hold of."

"I don't know about that Martha." Mr. Kent told her. "I was talking to Ben Hubbard the other day and he heard that if the government _does_ start rationing, it wouldn't affect farmers. He said that we're considered a wartime commodity and whatever it is we need to keep our farms going, we'll get."

"That's nice to know." Mrs. Kent nodded. "We had to do without so much during the depression."

"But we got through it, didn't we?" He answered her with a smile.

"I couldn't have done it without you're help, Jonathan." She smiled back at him and Lois sensed a current between them that spoke to years of love and devotion. She couldn't help but be a little envious that her father had been deprived of what the Kent's had.

"You guys aren't going to get mushy now, are you?" Clark asked his parents. "Because if you are, I think that's our cue to leave you alone."

"That's enough out of you, young man."

"I think our son has the right idea, Martha." Mr. Kent held up a sprig of mistletoe. "Look what I found."

Lois tried not to laugh as Clark's mother rolled her eyes at her husband. "And just how long have you been waiting to try that old chestnut?"

"It seems a shame to let it go to waste." He tried to persuade her and for a moment, Lois saw a glimpse of Clark in his father's expression. "After all, it's not like the kids are going to use it."

It was their son's turn to roll his own eyes and then he looked at Lois. "How about going for a walk?"

She nodded in return. "I think that's a great idea."

"Give us thirty seconds before you stand under that stuff." He warned as he walked toward the front hall, with Lois close behind. When they got to the coat rack, he got her coat and held it while she slipped her arms in the sleeves. While she buttoned up the front and got her gloves out of the pockets, he got his own jacket and pulled it on.

After he buttoned it up, he opened the door and waited for Lois. She stepped out on the porch and while she waited for him, took an involuntary deep breath because of how cold it was then pulled her gloves on. When she let it out, she could see her breath cloud in the night air.

"We won't go too far." She heard Clark's voice behind her as he closed the door. "I know it's cold out here, but I figured they needed some time by themselves. They aren't used to having a house full of people."

"You're hardly people, Clark; you're their son." Lois reasoned as she took his arm without thinking about it until she felt the familiar tightening of his arm against her hand. _It had already become a habit. _

"I hope I can have a marriage like theirs." He told her as they started to walk away from the house. "I've never seen two people better suited for each other than my parents."

"Marriages like theirs probably come around once in a lifetime." Lois observed off-handedly.

"You don't think you can have what _they _do, with someone?" He asked her and there was something in the tone of his voice that made her wonder if he were frowning. "I think you underestimate yourself."

"Clark, I don't even know that I _want _to get married." She felt her chest tighten at the admission because as much as she'd often thought about it, she'd never said it out loud._" _It was always something that I put off because I didn't want to get married so someone could take care of me. I can take care of myself and if marriage means that I have to depend on someone else for everything, then I don't want it."

"Maybe you just haven't met the right man yet." He replied quietly. "Did you ever think of that?"

_Of course she'd thought about it._

"Haven't we had this conversation already?" She suddenly laughed because she was experiencing a serious case of deja vu. And to her relief, he laughed with her.

"I seem to remember you showing me a bare ring finger a few days after you got here."

"Good. So could we please talk about something else?" She requested just before she saw the reason for the itchy nose she'd had since the morning after she arrived at the farm, bounding toward them from the barn. "Don't even think about it, Shelby."

"Be nice Lois, he likes you." She heard him say as the dog got closer. "It's not _his _fault that you're allergic to him."

"That's true." She conceded as she let go of Clark's arm and stepped behind him to put something between herself and the golden retriever. "But that mutt seems to enjoy reminding me of it."

"So you think Shelby can read your mind, do you?" She felt his body turn slightly as he asked her the question and when the dog barked he laughed again. "He thinks you want to play."

"This isn't funny." She chastised him and then proceeded to sneeze. Shelby found her standing behind Clark and nudged her as though to say, 'Pet me.' but all it did was make her sneeze again. So she moved around until she found herself face to face with Shelby's owner.

"And here I am without any mistletoe." He quipped as Shelby sat down and in the dark she thought she saw Clark grin. "Good dog. You got her where I wanted her."

Lois had the absurd urge to laugh and struggled to remain serious. "So let me guess. This whole thing with your parents, the tree and the mistletoe was a grand scheme to get me out here in the dark so your dog could make me sneeze."

"The jig is up, boy. She's on to our plan." And Shelby barked.

"How do you do that? It's almost as though he understands you." Lois asked in bafflement.

Clark answered her question by putting his hands on her waist and without letting herself think about it, put her hands on his chest. "He listens. Which is more than I can say about certain witnesses that I know."

"I did only want to help." She looked up at him, but his face was nearly unreadable in the dark.

"I know you did, Lois and you _did_ help me with one problem." He admitted. "I really do appreciate that."

It was then she felt his arms begin to close around her waist and she stepped away before taking his arm again. It would have been too easy to let him do it, but under the circumstances it wouldn't be right. "So tell me how the investigation is going. You don't talk much about it."

He secured her hand against him before they began to walk again, with Shelby getting up and following at Clark's side. "I haven't talked about it much because there isn't much to discuss. I'm being stonewalled. No one wants to talk to me and I'm being denied access to records that would help me. The excuse is that I don't have the proper clearance, which doesn't make sense, because I was told that I would have access to whatever it was that I needed.

"I've lived in Washington long enough to know that bureaucracies usually move at a snails pace, but this is wartime. How am I supposed to make any headway on this case if I can't get the clearance I need?"

"And you can't get anything on Lex?"

"It's the same kind of a situation there." He sighed and Lois could hear the frustration in his voice. "No one wants to talk and if Lex had anything to do with what happened to you that night, he could be holding you up as an example of what happens when someone talks."

"Maybe I should have stayed after all." It was her turn to sigh.

"It's pointless to think about that now. We are where we are and I don't exactly know what to do now." He told her. "I've contacted Kansas City _and _Washington to ask them how I should proceed and all they tell me is to keep digging, stay undercover and keep my eye on you."

"They're a big help, aren't they?"

Clark shrugged his shoulders. "There isn't much more that they _can_ tell me. When you consider the tens of thousands of cases that the Bureau has to handle every year, this is just a case file to them and I understand that. It doesn't mean that it makes it any less frustrating."

"Clark, are Lex and Senator Burke going to get away with it?" The thought that they might really upset her.

"Not if I can help it, because I'm not ready to give up. Sometimes it takes a piece of evidence that you didn't know that you were looking for but suddenly gets dropped in your lap. It's something that's been right in front of your face the whole time and you just don't see it."

"And you think that it might be the case here?" She wondered.

"I'm hoping so." He said as they continued to walk toward the barn and Shelby ran ahead of them. "Since we're out here anyway, I thought you'd like to see the heart of the farm." He suddenly changed the subject.

"The barn?"

"Sure. You've heard that the heart of the home is the kitchen, well the heart of the farm is the barn." He smiled at what she was sure was a look of confusion. "The barn is where the animals live, the hay is stored and where our equipment is protected from the elements. When Dad's not out in the fields, a lot of his workday is spent in there."

"And would you be satisfied with the idea that any sons you had would want to be farmers?" Lois suddenly remembered his comment about future sons the night he brought her to the farm. But he understood her seemingly left field comment.

"If all I have are daughters, it'll be a moot point."

"So they'll marry farmers." She smiled at the idea that he would remember the conversation borne of exhaustion and pique.

"Any daughters that I have will marry the man they love, farmer or not." He chuckled. "Either way, I'll make sure that this farm_ stays_ in the Kent family as long as I'm alive."

They walked into the barn and Lois' senses were thrown into overdrive with all of the different smells. Hay, sawdust, dirt, manure and something else that made her nose itch. It wasn't because of Shelby, but she realized, from the thick dust. But as she figured it would be, the whole place was neat and organized. And for what it was used for, amazingly clean.

"Dad says that there is a place for everything and everything has its place." He commented as Lois walked around. "That's one of the first lessons I learned when I started coming out here as a kid. If I left a tool on the workbench or a grain sack where it shouldn't be, he always reminded me of that. And then he would show me, sometimes more than once, where he wanted something stored.

"I asked him once, when I'd gotten older why he went to so much trouble. And he told me that not only did it make it safer to work in here, but by knowing where everything was made the workday more efficient."

"Smart man, your dad." Lois remarked.

"He is. When I get the chance I'll show you his office and you'll see the same thing in there. Everything is organized so that when he sits down to do the books or pay the bills, it doesn't take that long."

"That would explain your desk at the_ Planet_, neat as a pin." She laughed.

"You laugh at my organized desk, but it makes my job a lot easier." He smiled back.

"This might sound odd, but are you doing any real reporting as part of your cover?" She didn't know why she was asking, but seeing him as someone other than a Fed made her a little curious.

"Mr. White _has_ given me some assignments and so far I haven't embarrassed myself." Clark nodded in answer to her question. "I never took any journalism classes when I was at Central Kansas so I had no idea if I would be able to pull off the charade of being a reporter."

And Lois couldn't help but wonder if Lana Luthor knew if he was from the FBI or if she only knew him as a reporter. Or did she even care?

_Why did _she?

As she continued to tour the barn she saw a ladder that went up to a loft that looked to be filled with hay. _Could it be? _

"Clark, what's up there?" She couldn't help but smile.

"Just what it looks like." He was suddenly very defensive.

"A hayloft? _The_ hayloft?" She tried not to laugh at the idea of his embarrassment of getting caught by his father.

"Yes Lois, _the_ hayloft."

"Can I see it?"

"No."

"Why not?" She persisted.

"Because we have a tree to decorate, remember?"

_She was so bad. _"Well if I had _my_ choice between decorating a tree or being up in a hayloft."

"Lois." He frowned at her before he walked out of the barn, leaving her behind. _Good one, Lois!_

She ran after him and when she caught up to him, put her hand on his arm to stop him. "I'm sorry if I embarrassed you, I really didn't mean to. I was just having a little fun."

"At my expense."

"At your expense." She conceded and suddenly felt just as embarrassed as he did. "Sometimes my mouth works faster than my brain and I put myself in situations like the one back there."

Clark nodded as he took her hand and tucked it in his elbow, tightened his arm and they continued to walk. "I'd say we're even now, wouldn't you? I put you in a situation at the _Planet_ today because my brain had to work fast to explain why you were there. And even though it sounded perfectly logical when it came out of my mouth, I knew you wouldn't like it."

"We're even." She agreed as they reached the front porch and then she sneezed because without realizing it, Shelby had followed them out from the barn and was sitting next to Lois thumping his tail on the ground. "Mutt."

"He likes you, Lois and you know what? I think you like him too." He grinned at her. "Come on admit it."

"The only thing _I'll_ admit to is that I'm freezing."

Clark glanced down at the dog, who'd cocked his head as though wondering why Lois wouldn't pet him. He walked her to the front door, opened it and nudged her inside before he turned around and called Shelby right in behind her; and then there was a sneeze.

"Clark!"

_He was just as bad._


	9. Observations

She hadn't thought about it before, as she held the curtain back slightly to observe the scene outside.

But when she saw Lois take her son's arm, Martha realized that it wasn't the first time she'd done it and he always had the same solicitous manner toward her when she did. But then it also occurred to her as she watched them that he would often take her hand and tuck it through his elbow, without a second thought. It seemed that as much as they bickered; which they did and maybe because of it, they'd become very comfortable with each other in the short time that they'd been acquainted.

She didn't know how she felt about it because more than anything; she wanted her son to be happy. She wanted him to find a nice girl to settle down with and if it weren't for the situation being what it was, she would say that Lois Lane fit the bill.

The fact was, however that Lois wasn't just an ordinary girl in ordinary circumstances. She wasn't merely a guest in her home, but a material witness in an investigation her son was conducting. She was there because he was protecting her.

She leaned forward as she noticed Shelby come running from the barn toward Clark and Lois; and just as quickly, Lois moved behind Clark. Martha couldn't help but laugh because Shelby had taken to her from the first moment they met and it didn't seem to phase him that Lois was allergic to him.

In fact, it seemed to make the dog more determined for Lois to like him.

She continued to watch with some fascination as Lois moved again to get away from Shelby and ended up standing in front of Clark. It was the first time she'd seen them so close together.

She was momentarily startled when a gentle pair of hands came to rest on her shoulders and she felt the warmth of her husband's body close behind her as she felt him lean forward. "What are you looking at?" His voice rumbled near her ear.

"Our son, his witness and a certain golden retriever." She answered and leaned back against him.

"Why Martha Kent; I had no idea that you were a Peeping Tom." He laughed softly.

"I'm a mother, Jonathan and there seems to be something happening between those two." She turned her head to look at him. "Or didn't you notice what happened when he gave her the box of ornaments?"

"I noticed." He sighed. "And I have to admit that I'm not too sure how I feel about it."

"But at least she isn't married." She frowned.

He sighed again. "That's true. Now, why he just doesn't get out of that situation is beyond me because he's clearly unhappy."

"I wish I knew because Lois _does_ seem to make him happy, regardless of the circumstances that brought her here." Martha mused. "But it's that reason which makes it awkward, if not inappropriate for anything to happen between them."

"And knowing our son as I do, it's not far from his mind." Jonathan replied. "That's why I find it interesting that he created the story of a romantic relationship with her to explain why she was at the newspaper this afternoon. He could have just as easily introduced her as his sister or a cousin."

"No one would have believed that Jonathan and I think you know that." She commented as she watched Lois take Clark's arm again and head toward the barn. _The barn? _"Now why would they be going out there? There's not much to see."

"It's the farmer in him, sweetheart. He's proud of this place and he has an opportunity to show it to someone who grew up in the city." He reasoned.

"She grew up in a _lot_ of cities." Martha smiled. "I don't know that I could have lived like a nomad the way she had to. This is probably the first place that feels like a home to her."

"That's because it is." He laughed.

"Don't be smart, you know what I mean."

"I know what you mean, Martha." And he squeezed her shoulders. "When Clark first brought her out here, I didn't know how she would get along. Smallville isn't Metropolis, but at least living in town there were things for her to do. I didn't know how she would adjust to such a slow pace, but she did."

"I think it's because she's learning that there _is_ more to being on a farm than meets the eye."

"That would explain why she's started to trail after me some mornings when I go out to the barn." The sound in his voice told her that he'd just solved a riddle that had been plaguing him. "She always seems to have a million questions about one thing or another and she remembers everything that I explain to her."

"She's a smart girl, that's why. I've been teaching her some simple recipes so that she won't have to depend on restaurants when she goes home and she practically has them memorized." Martha leaned back against her husband again and felt his arms close around her. "It bothers me to think about her going back to that apartment and being alone again."

"I know it does. It bothers _me_ to think about Clark going back to Washington when this is all over and it being another five years before we see him." And she heard Jonathan sigh. "I know he's a grown man and needs to make his own way in the world, but he's also my son and I've missed him."

"I know you have. It's been so nice to have him back for a little while and it's been even nicer to have Lois around."

"It's hard being outnumbered, isn't it?" And he laughed softly.

"I never felt that way when Clark was growing up. But after Lois came to stay with us, I got the chance to see what it might have been like if we'd had a daughter." Martha admitted. "And as much as I love the two of you, I've come to see what I missed."

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "It's not your fault, any more than it is mine. We _were_ blessed with a child and I'm so grateful for that. But with Lois, I'm getting a chance to mother a girl and I've been grateful for that too."

"And don't think that Lois isn't enjoying the opportunity." He told her. "Remember when she told us that she doesn't remember much about her own mother? I think being here with you and having you teach her all the things a mother usually teaches her daughter has meant a lot."

"Jonathan, would it be wrong of me to _want _something to happen between those two?" She asked as she observed their son walk out of the barn with the young woman they'd both come to care for not far behind him. "I know the reason why she's here, but I haven't seen Clark smile so much since he's been home. And it wasn't until he met her, regardless of how it all came about."

"But this is such a temporary situation and what we think we see happening could be just as temporary." He sounded so reasonable and then suddenly leaned forward. "What's this?"

"It looks like they're arguing again." She replied. But as their bickering usually did, blew over quickly and then once again Martha watched as her son tucked Lois' hand in to the crook of his elbow and escorted her to the front porch. _Would it really be such a mismatch?_

She suddenly heard Lois sneeze and knew Shelby was the reason, then heard footsteps on the porch and the sound of the front door opening. Martha wasn't sure who'd come in the door first until she heard Clark, still on the porch, calling for Shelby. Lois sneezed again as she came into view with Shelby running circles around her excitedly.

"Clark!" The younger woman turned toward the door and glared before she turned back around and headed up the stairs.

Their son came in to view next and called up after her, "Lois, if you'd just pet him he'd be happy with that and leave you alone." He glanced at his parents with a grin and a shrug before he followed behind her with Shelby in tow. "Come on Lois." And when his bedroom door slammed they heard him laugh.

Martha watched the scene unfold and wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh herself or to sigh.

"Honey, are you sure that you want something to happen between them?" She heard her husband chuckle and she smiled in return.

"It does make me rethink the wisdom of that wish." She admitted as they turned back to finish decorating the tree and then Jonathan grinned at her.

"What?" He could still make her blush like a school girl.

"I never _did_ get my kiss under that mistletoe."


	10. Swing Time in Metropolis: Part I

He could keep poring over his notes all he wanted, but Clark wasn't getting the answers he was looking for. He was becoming increasingly frustrated at the runaround he was getting from Washington _and_ Kansas City, because for reasons he didn't understand he was coming to believe that his investigation was being blocked.

It was the only explanation he could come up with as to why everything had stalled. His calls weren't being returned; he _still_ didn't have access to FBI records he needed for background information and it seemed as though Senator Burke was leaning on Clark's superiors in Washington to try and sweep the whole thing under the rug.

Now, how the senior Senator from Kansas could have gotten wind of an investigation told Clark that there must have been someone inside the Bureau feeding him the information.

The Bureau, for their part though, insisted that they were standing behind him. But he began to wonder how far behind him they actually were. Far enough away so that when everything blew up in his face, they would be in the clear?

_What in the hell was he missing?_

"Kent, get in here!" Mr. White called to Clark from his office door and he glanced up toward the editor with what could only have been a perplexed look on his face.

_He needed to figure out what was going on. _

"I don't mean tomorrow, son." His arms were folded across his chest. "I need you in here, pronto."

"Coming, sir." Clark stood up with some hesitation, wondering what could have gotten the older man so riled up and tried to refocus his attention on _that_. He walked toward the open door, currently blocked by the irritated editor and when he got closer, Mr. White stepped aside and waited for Clark to enter his office before closing the door behind him. "Have a seat."

Why did he suddenly have the feeling that he might be in some trouble?

The _Planet's _news editor walked to his desk and sat down with a sigh. "What do you know about music?"

_Was this a trick question? _

"This isn't a trick question." He read his mind with a frown. "What do you know about music?"

"What kind of music?"

"That swing nonsense; that's what kind of music." He elaborated. "Here's the thing. The music critic who usually handles the swing bands already has a commitment to review the Metropolis String Quartet tonight for the Sunday edition. And that's because the music _editor_ didn't realize that Glenn Miller and his orchestra would be at the Regent Hotel, also tonight.

"Now tell me this. How does a music editor _not_ plan to have a critic available for one of the most popular bandleaders in the country comin' to our fair city?"

"Glenn Miller?"

Mr. White looked at him with disbelief. "You're not goin' to tell me that you don't know who he is, are you?"

Clark shook his head. "Of course I do. He's one of Lois' favorites."

"Lois?" His eyebrows shot up at the unexpected piece of information and sat forward with sudden interest. "Now why haven't I heard that name before?"

"She's the witness for my case and she's staying with my parents for the time being." The pointed look he was getting from the older man was suddenly making him feel very uneasy.

"You mean that pretty little gal who was here the other day? _That_ Lois?" And then he grinned.

"That would be her." Clark nodded and wanted nothing more than to kick himself for letting her name slip in such a casual way.

"Well. This puts a different spin on things, doesn't it?" He mused as his grin got wider. "You'd be in the catbird's seat with her if she got to see that orchestra, now wouldn't you?"

"Sir?" _What exactly was he getting at?_

"The music editor has asked if I would loan one of my reporters to cover this fellow and have him write a review. I'd ask one of the other boys to do it, but they're all currently on assignments that won't give them the time. Just consider this part of your cover."

"My cover?" _Did he mean his cover as a very confused reporter? _

Mr. White was looking a little irritated because Clark didn't seem to be catching on to what he was trying to tell him. So instead, he slipped an envelope across his desk in front of the puzzled agent. "In here is a press pass for you and a ticket for a guest of your choice. I would suggest askin' that witness of yours before Miss Chloe Sullivan gets wind of this.

"You threw her for a loop when that gal came in for lunch. But she's seen that you don't have a picture of her on your desk and beginning to wonder how serious things are between the two of you. Am I making myself clear?"

Clark sighed and pushed his glasses up to massage the bridge of his nose. "I thought I'd handled that."

"Not well enough it would seem." He commented dryly. "Even though this set up with her is a charade, maybe you _should_ think about a picture. Just for show you understand."

"All too well." He sighed again. "So you want me to cover this show and take Lois as my guest."

"Give that man a cigar!" Mr. White laughed. "That's exactly what I'm sayin'."

"I don't suppose this is up for discussion?" It was a foolish thing to ask because Clark already knew the answer.

"Hell no. This isn't a request Kent, this is an _assignment _and as such you don't have a choice." He was still smiling. "My advice is to take a look around the place when you get there, sketch out your ideas for what you want to report and then have a hell of a time dancing with your girl."

"Mr. White, she's not my girl."

"Well son, I wouldn't say that too loudly if _I _were you if you catch my meaning. At the moment, you are considered unavailable and if you want to keep it that way you need to take that pretty gal you've got stashed out at your folks place to see her favorite swing band.

"And as a happily married man of many years I'm goin' to give you some free advice. You may think you only see her as a witness and she probably thinks that she sees you as just an agent, but if what _I_ saw the other day is any indication the two of you need to find a way to work around that."

"I don't understand."

"Chemistry, Kent; that's what I'm gettin' at. Anyone with two eyes can see it; except the two of you, of course."

"Chemistry?"

Mr. White sat back and sighed. "For someone who's been trained to be observant you can't seem to see somethin' that's right in front of your face, witness or not."

And it was then that he felt his face warm as he understood what his editor was getting at. "Lois?"

"Lois." He confirmed with a nod. "She seems to keep you on your toes and every man needs a woman like that in his life. It keeps things interesting."

"She is that." Clark tried not to smile which the editor caught and he laughed.

"Take her to see that fellow and show her a nice time, on the _Planet_."

"A working date." He frowned thoughtfully at the idea and picked the envelope up off the desk.

"Son, we're doin' a favor for the music editor because of his shortsightedness. So as I already said, make short work of the review and have a good time. You've been working real hard and I, for one, think you deserve it."

"I appreciate that Mr. White and Lois will sure appreciate the ticket." He stood up, sensing that their conversation was coming to an end. "I don't know how happy the music editor will be with my review, though. I've never done this sort of thing before."

"If you write a review as well as you write a news story, that editor will be as happy with _it_ as I've been with your news coverage." Mr. White stood up and came back around from his desk with a smile on his face. "Now why don't you go back out to your desk and make a telephone call. It seems to me someone in Smallville should get fair warnin' about tonight, don't you think?"

"Yes sir, I think you're right." He couldn't stop the smile then, even though he knew he should.

"Kent, I don't think you should consider it a bad thing if you _do_ have a good time tonight. And if I were you, I'd ditch those glasses as soon as you can." He added for good measure before he opened the door. "I want that review on my desk first thing in the morning." Mr. White forced a gruff tone to his voice as Clark walked out of his office.

"Sure thing, Mr. White." He answered with a forced sigh, to make it appear as though it were the last thing he wanted to do. When he got back to his desk, he set the envelope down and then picked up the telephone receiver. "Operator, would you get me Smallville5-0225, please?"

As he waited, he took a good look at his desk. It was neat and organized, as his father's desk at home was and he found the framed picture of him with his parent's when he'd graduated from Central Kansas. Mr. White had made a valid point about having a picture of Lois on his desk as well, if people were to think that the relationship he'd created out of desperation were real. He'd have to talk to her about that and didn't know how she would feel because he sure didn't know how _he_ felt about it.

"_Kent farm." _He suddenly heard Lois' voice on the other end of the line and he smiled.

"Hi, it's me." Why did he suddenly feel as though he were about to ask her out on a date?

"_Where are you_?"

"I'm at the _Planet_; where else would I be in the middle of the day?" He laughed in answer.

"_Good point. So why are you calling your parent's in the middle of the day when you're supposed to be working_?" He heard the amusement in her voice.

"I'm calling because I'm wondering what you're doing this evening."

"_Well, other than Shelby following me around and making me sneeze my evening is wide open_. _Why do you ask?_"

"I have to cover for a music critic tonight and I was wondering if you wanted to come into Metropolis and keep me company?"

"_What happened to lying low and not being seen together too much?_"

"Well, if you don't want to see the Glenn Miller Orchestra at the Regent Hotel, I completely understand." And he was trying not to grin. He didn't hear anything on the other end of the line and wondered if they'd been disconnected. "Lois?"

"_That's a terrible tease, even for you."_ He could almost see her frowning at him.

"I'm not teasing. The fact is there seems to be too much music happening in Metropolis tonight and not enough music critics. So Mr. White was asked if he could loan out one of his reporters and I knew if you found out about it after the fact, you would have been very unhappy with me."

"_You're darn tootin' buster."_

"So what do you say?"

"_Throw in dinner at a nice restaurant and I'll think about it." _She just couldn't say yes, could she?

"I think I can arrange that, seeing as how the _Planet _is covering my expenses." She still wasn't giving him an answer. "Unless you'd rather spend your evening sneezing with Shelby. I can arrange that too."

"_How long have you known about this?"_ There was a sudden accusatory tone in her voice and he didn't know why.

"I just found out about it five minutes ago when Mr. White told me." _Don't get defensive, Clark! _

"_And I was the first girl you thought of."_ What did she mean by that?

"I was going to go by myself and he suggested that I take you because he thought you'd have a good time." He felt an argument coming on and tried not to sigh because he had no idea what was going through her mind.

"_And if he hadn't, you would have left me here twiddling my thumbs." _

He really didn't want to argue with her. "Lois, the only place I want you twiddling your thumbs is on the train to Metropolis because I'd like you to be there."

"_Really?"_

"Really, so what do you say?" He asked her again, still not sure what her answer was going to be.

"_What time do you want me to be there?" _She finally asked and he couldn't help but smile in relief.

"The show starts at seven. If you want to get something to eat before we go you should probably be here by five o'clock or we can wait and eat afterward. It's up to you."

"_You're not giving me a lot of time to get ready, are you?" _And he could hear the humor in her voice return.

"Whatever you decide to wear will be fine." And he meant it.

"_I'll be there by five." _Was her short answer. _"Clark?"_

"Yes?"

"_This is going to sound silly, because it shouldn't really matter and because it shouldn't make a difference." _She started to babble and Clark was beginning to realize that she only did it when she was nervous_. "It's such a small thing really, but."_

"Lois?"

"_I'm babbling I know, but I just don't know how to ask." _She really _did_ sound nervous and that got him curious.

"Ask what?" By the time he got it out of her, she was going to be late for her train and then he heard her sigh. "Just say it, whatever it is."

There was a long silence and he again wondered if they'd been disconnected. _"It's really not my place."_

And then he laughed because in the short time they'd known each other, he'd never heard her so discomposed. "Lois."

"_I'm glad you find this so amusing Agent Kent, because I sure don't." _Agent Kent?

"Lois?"

And then he heard her... growl? _"I suppose you have to wear those glasses."_

He grinned, even though he shouldn't have and then felt his face flush. So _that_ was it. "I'll need them so I can take notes."

She sighed again and he'd bet a dollar to a donut hole that Lois was rolling her eyes. _"I forgot; they're part of your cover." _

"That's true, but I won't need them to dance." Who was _he_ kidding? He had two left feet and would be lucky if he didn't step on her toes.

"_You'd dance with me?" _She sounded surprised and he didn't blame her.

"I won't have the chance to if we don't get off the telephone." He quipped and didn't realize that he'd avoided her question.

"_Right. There's a three o'clock train leaving Smallville and I'll be on it."_

"All right. I'll meet you at the station and we can take a cab straight to the restaurant near the hotel. Call me here if you're going to be late." He requested.

"_I will. And Clark, thank you." _

"For what?"

"_For this." _And the line went dead.

He sat quietly for a moment, the receiver still in his hand and puzzled over the conversation that had just transpired. He again got the feeling that she knew about Lana, though he had no clue as to how she would. And if he'd felt like a sap before, he was starting to feel like a first class heel for ever getting involved with her.

"_She seems to keep you on your toes and every man needs a woman like that in his life. It keeps things interesting." _Mr. White's words came back to him as Clark replaced the receiver and again glanced at the picture of him with his parents.

She definitely kept things interesting.


	11. Swing Time in Metropolis: Part II

Lois looked out the window for what seemed the hundredth time and sighed as she watched the twilight scenery from her window seat. As the train approached Metropolis she played over in her mind, and not for the first time since he called, Clark's request to meet him. It felt for a moment as though he was asking for a date, though she knew he wasn't.

She _knew_ he wasn't because he'd established as part of his cover, that she was his girl and all she was doing was playing a part to help him out. Never mind that he somehow knew that Glenn Miller was one of her all time favorite bandleaders.

Of course, he wouldn't have asked her to come to Metropolis in the first place if she hadn't put him in the position where he felt he had to.

He really _was_ too nice for his own good.

What she still couldn't quite figure out, though was why she got so annoyed with him after he'd asked. For some inexplicable reason, it bothered her that he might have wanted to ask Lana Luthor, but for obvious reasons couldn't. And from the sound of his voice, after she'd finished snapping at him, it never occurred to him and she felt foolish for sounding as though she were jealous.

_You're getting in over your head. _She couldn't help but think as the train began to slow and the conductor came through the car announcing that Metropolis was the next stop. If she didn't want to see the band so badly, Lois would have seriously considered trying to get a return train back to Smallville.

Who was she kidding? She would have kept going until she got to Fort Ryan.

The train slowed again before it came to a sluggish stop. Lois could feel the distinct flutter of butterflies in her stomach because she knew that the whole situation was beginning to get out of hand.

It wasn't just the concert; it was everything surrounding it.

His parents, the farm, the burgeoning intimacy between her and the Fed, which she knew shouldn't be happening, sleeping in his bed and sharing his room. Everything about it had become too comfortable and too real as though she was supposed to be there.

It was only temporary and they both knew it. Once Clark was able to tie Lex and the senator to the leak from the War Department, his job in Smallville would be finished and he would head back to Washington to resume his life there.

And what would _she_ do? She would return to the _Falcon, _live alone in the upstairs apartment and go back to singing for a living. _Not so glamorous anymore, is it Lois? _

The problem was, actually _one_ of the problems was that she'd become very attached to Clark's parents. They were really nice people who treated her in the same way that they treated their own son. They were making her a part of their family, showing her that life in the country didn't need to be slow or boring by introducing her to their respective responsibilities.

Mrs. Kent was already teaching her to cook, something Lois always believed she was all thumbs at and in addition, showing her how to plan a meal. She also trailed after Mr. Kent some mornings and watched as he would get the morning milk and feed the horses.

It was all so new to her and sometimes felt that she was a pest because she would constantly ask him questions about why he did what he did, and why some things happened early in the day as opposed to the afternoon or evening. He was always patient with her and always assured her that there was no such thing as a stupid question. It was the only way she would learn, he would tell her.

He was so different from her father in most ways, but she could see a stubborn streak in him when he felt strongly enough about something. They were a lot alike in _that_ respect.

Another problem was that she was getting much too comfortable with Clark. She wasn't sure if it was because of their fictitious relationship or the fact the he'd gotten in the habit of taking her arm, almost as second nature. And that was _before_ he'd assigned her an unplanned role in his undercover duties.

What did it say about _her, _though that she could just as easily tuck her hand through his elbow and he would keep that hand securely against him?

It went without saying that they were probably skirting a lot of rules that were in place for FBI agents and their witnesses; they were more than likely bending a lot of them too. But she trusted Clark to know what he was doing and so far, she couldn't really fault him for the choices he'd made because there _was_ sound reasoning behind everything he was doing, even when she didn't agree with it.

When she stepped off the train and looked around, she saw that Clark wasn't there.

She looked at her watch and realized the train was early, so he obviously wasn't expecting her just yet. Lois didn't particularly want to wait at the station, so there was only one thing she could do.

_Terrific. _

It was a short walk from the station, a little too short for her liking, before she found herself in front of the _Daily Planet_ building. She watched as people came and went through the revolving doors and the butterflies that had been fluttering in her stomach were starting to wing around because she was beginning to have real second thoughts about the whole thing.

But, she was there and he _was_ expecting her.

It was odd being in the building again, because the last time she'd been there she was trying to help him. She hadn't meant to cause a stir, even though she did and this time she was keenly aware of it.

As luck would have it, the same elevator operator was on duty when she stepped into the car and he obviously remembered her because he was trying to cover a grin. Lois tried not to roll her eyes as she gave him the floor she needed and he closed the doors.

She felt the slow movement upward and put a hand on her stomach to try and calm the raucous butterflies and of course, it didn't help. The car slowed after a few moments and she heard a soft 'ding' as it came to a stop and her floor was announced as the doors were opened and she got off.

The idea of turning around and getting back on was moot when the doors were closed behind her and she was left standing in the busy newsroom. She took a calming breath and walked toward Clark's desk, this time without having to ask where it was.

She heard a soft whistle or two and while it was something she was used to, it made her face warm just the same because she was drawing attention that she didn't want.

When she reached his desk, he wasn't there. She thought for a moment that she might have remembered wrong until she saw the picture of him with his parents. So she set her purse down on the desk and sat down in his chair to wait.

She glanced around his desk and saw a piece of paper rolled into the typewriter. It looked as though he'd been typing the finish to a story when he got called away. She read what he had written and it was a story on corruption.

_Imagine that, corruption in Metropolis. _

Stories like that were the life's blood for newspapers and from what he'd typed so far, she thought he didn't make a half-bad reporter. She looked over his notes out of curiosity and the first thing she noticed was how neat his handwriting was.

Her dad wrote in, what she affectionately called, chicken scratch. Because she sometimes couldn't make heads or tails of what he'd scribbled.

Clark's notes were legible and organized, much as his desk was.

Her attention was suddenly drawn to an office behind her as she heard a door open, then voices and when she turned around, she saw Clark with an older man. She stood up as they walked toward the desk and while Clark had a puzzled smile on his face, the man behind him had a grin on his.

"I'm sorry Lois, am I late?" He asked as he looked at his watch.

She shook her head. "I'm early. The train just got in about ten minutes ago, so I thought I'd go ahead and meet you here."

He didn't look puzzled anymore, but he was still smiling. "Well, since you're here I can introduce you to my boss." And the older man stepped forward. "Lois, this is Perry White. He's the news editor of the _Daily Planet_. Mr. White, this is Lois Lane."

Mr. White put his hand out, which Lois took and they shook. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Miss Lane. This young man can't seem to stop talkin' about you."

She glanced at Clark and had to squash the temptation to raise her eyebrow at him, when saw his face flush.

"He's talked about you too, Mr. White and I know how much he appreciates the chance you've taken on him. And I must admit that it's a bit of a thrill for me to see his name in print." She smiled proudly, as a good girlfriend would and Clark gave her an embarrassed smile.

"All right, Kent; you know what you need to do." Mr. White cleared his throat and it looked to Lois as though he were trying not to laugh. _Did he know? _"Don't forget your press pass, the ticket and your notebook. We need to show those music snobs that we can write a review as well as _they_ can. So don't let me down."

"I'll do my best, sir." Clark sighed and she wondered if that were for the newsroom's benefit or for hers?

"I'm countin' on it." And then he looked at Lois with a smile. "Miss Lane, you are welcome into my newsroom any time." He told her before turning around and walking back to his office, closing the door behind him.

The feeling came over her again that she was getting in over her head and if she wasn't careful she might drown. And the unhelpful thought came to mind that Clark's blue eyes wouldn't be a bad place to start.

"Lois?" Those very eyes were searching hers with a look of concern. "Is everything all right?"

"What?"

And then he smiled.

That smile of his wouldn't be a bad place to continue. _Lois! _

"Lois, are you feeling all right? You seem a little preoccupied." He took her elbow as his smile began to fade and she had to tell herself not to pull it away because then he'd know something was wrong.

"I'm fine, just getting a little hungry. So where is this restaurant?" She tried to behave as though her thoughts weren't beginning to betray her and didn't know if she was pulling it off. It was disconcerting how he seemed to know when she was hiding something and hoped he wasn't sensing it now.

"It's a little Italian place next to the hotel. It's not five star, but the food is supposed to be good." He smiled again and seemed to be trying to pull her out of her reflective mood.

"I didn't say anything about it being five star, but only that it needed to be nice." She corrected him as she smiled back hesitantly and tried to relax. She was making a mountain out of a molehill because she was allowing herself to be ruled by her emotions and that was something Lane's _did not_ do.

They thought with their heads and not their hearts. Of course, Lucy had done just the opposite and she seemed to be happy, even billeted in the heart of the Third Reich. But Lois wasn't Lucy.

Lucy was more like their mother and Lois, for better or for worse, was more like her father. Maybe that's why she was twenty-eight and still unmarried. What man would have her?

"Lois, are you sure you're all right? Maybe you should skip this whole thing and go back to Smallville." He was starting to look worried.

She smiled at the concern in his voice and put her hand on his arm to reassure him. "And miss the biggest swing band in the country play at the Regent? Not on your life."

He didn't seem entirely convinced, but he shrugged in resignation. "If it's what you want, then that's what we'll do."

"Thank you."

"But the minute you want to go home, you let me know." He gripped her elbow. "I mean it."

"I appreciate the chivalry Lancelot, but I'm fine." She insisted.

He nodded and Lois could see that he still had his doubts. "I need to finish this story and then I'll be ready to go."

"We've got time." She assured him as he pulled up a chair from a vacant desk and set it next to his. "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Guinevere." He smiled again as he waited for her to sit down before he followed suit, then he glanced at his notes and began to type.

000000

Lois didn't know who was more surprised when they walked into the restaurant a half-hour later.

They glanced at each other and she could see that Clark looked very uncomfortable. "I'm sorry Lois. This isn't what I had in mind."

The maître d' looked a little puzzled and a smidge insulted as he held two menus in his hand and waited because Clark refused to move. "Sir, you _did_ make the reservations."

"Yes."

"Then follow me please." And without waiting to see if she and Clark would follow, the maître d' walked away.

"Clark, you can explain it to me while we eat." Lois nudged him gently. "But right now, my stomach is growling because I haven't had anything since lunch."

"Lois." He protested.

"Clark." She nudged him again before he sighed, took her hand and tucked it through his elbow before he followed the huffy headwaiter to their table. His arm felt tense under her hand and she had a pretty good idea why. He was probably worried that she thought he set the whole thing up.

As restaurants went, it _was_ nice.

The ambiance however, lent itself more to a place a fellow would take a girl that he wanted to romance, because the lights were low and candles illuminated the tables that were clearly designed to seat just two people. There was soft music playing in the background and voices were hushed. If he _had_ been trying to romance her, he would have been well on his way to sweeping her off of her feet.

When they reached their table, Clark helped her off with her coat before he slipped out of his. The maître d' set the menus down on the table while Clark hung their coats and his hat on the coat rack by the table. She waited as he held her chair and when she sat down, took his own chair across from her.

"Would you care to begin the evening with something to drink?" They were asked and Clark glanced at her with a questioning look.

"I trust you." She told him and he seemed to understand that she wasn't just talking about a drink selection.

He nodded. "A bottle of champagne."

Lois' eyebrows shot up as though to ask him silently. _Are you kidding? _

To his credit, his face didn't flush as he shrugged his shoulders slightly and didn't say anything.

"A special occasion, sir?"

"No. It just seemed like the evening for it." He glanced at Lois again, almost daring her to argue with him.

"Very good, sir. Your waiter will be here shortly with the bottle and glasses." And he was gone.

Lois watched as he walked away before she leaned across the table toward Clark and kept her voice low. "_Champagne_? What was that all about?"

He shrugged again and the look of discomfort was back on his face. "I don't know, it just seemed like the right thing to order."

"A scotch on the rocks would have been the right thing to order Clark, _not_ champagne." She wanted to frown at him, but given the circumstances that might draw some unwanted attention. "Now explain to me why we're _here_."

"We're here because it was recommended as a place that serves good food and wasn't too pricey." He told her. "And because it was so close to the hotel."

"I thought you said that the _Daily Planet_ was picking up the tab."

"They are. But I couldn't very well _say_ that, now could I?" Clark sounded so reasonable. "That's not the sort of thing other reporters want to hear."

"True." She conceded. "But who ever made the recommendation to you left out the small detail that this isn't a run of the mill place to eat."

And then his face _did_ flush. "I'm sorry about that. If I'd had more time, I would have done some research and made reservations somewhere else."

"Well when you think about it, it _does_ lend credibility to a relationship that we're supposed to be in." She tried to look at the situation from a positive angle. "It shows that as someone who's supposed to care about me, you wanted to give me a romantic evening."

His flush deepened and Lois couldn't help but wonder what was going through his mind. "If that _were _our situation, then I would have to give myself a pat on the back for finding this place."

"Actually Clark, you _didn't_ find it." She laughed.

He smiled back at her. "You're taking all the romance out of this evening."

"It's a gift."

"Can I return it?"

She picked up her menu and tried not to smile. "You can look at your menu before the waiter gets here."

"There's only one thing _I_ want to look at." He deadpanned as he picked up his menu and then glanced up at her.

"Do you want me to kick you?"

"Look at your menu Lois."

And they laughed softly as they mulled over their choices and waited to order.


	12. Swinging at the Regent

In the short time he'd known her, Clark had never seen Lois so excited. As they finished dinner and time grew short before they needed to leave for the hotel, she seemed to bubble as much as the champagne he'd ordered earlier in the evening.

They were having their coffee and dessert when he checked his watch to see how much time they had before they needed to get going.

Mr. White had asked him to be there fifteen minutes early so he could take a look around the ballroom, get some quotes from people there to see the band and if he could manage it, maybe a quote or two from some of the band members.

"Is it time to leave?" Lois asked and when she looked at him he felt his heart suddenly, and inexplicably, skip a beat.

He didn't know if it was because the lights in the restaurant were low, if it was the glow of the candlelight on their table or maybe a combination of the two. But her eyes seemed to sparkle and for the first time really noticed how pretty she was.

"Clark?" She tried to catch his eye and he could see a look of concern on her face.

_She really _was_ pretty._

"Clark." Her low voice was more forceful and got his attention.

He tried to gather his thoughts as he looked at his watch again. "We, uh, we're fine; we have plenty of time."

"Are you all right?" Her look of concern deepened. "You didn't say much during dinner."

How could he explain that he was preoccupied, in part, thinking about _her_? "I'm sorry, Lois. I've been trying to think about how I want to tackle this whole thing." He told her, knowing that it wasn't the whole truth. "I've been able to write news stories without too much trouble because it's all a matter of presenting facts. Writing a music review is a whole new ballgame."

"I think you're making more of this than you need to." She seemed to accept his explanation. "It seems to me that your job with this review is to paint a picture for the people who can't be there. You can talk about what the ballroom looks like and the mood of the audience, if they're dancing or listening. You might mention how the room is decorated and the kind of lighting that's being used."

"Maybe _you_ should review this." He quipped. "You seem to know more about how to go about it."

"I'll help if you want me too." She answered seriously. "I'm not a reporter, but I know what I like and I'd really like to help."

"I'm not a reporter either. And you can help me by enjoying the evening and not worry about how lousy my review is going to be." Clark sighed and suddenly wondered what Mr. White had roped him into the closer it got to show time.

"It won't be lousy, Clark." Lois sounded so confident. "I've been reading the stories you've done for the _Planet_ so far and they're really good. A fluffy review about a swing band should be a piece of cake compared to what you've done up to now."

It surprised him that she would actually read what he'd written and he couldn't help but feel pleased about it. "You've read my stories?"

"Well, it gets a little boring watching the grass grow around the farm. So what else am I supposed to do?" She seemed to realize that she'd admitted something she probably didn't want him to know and deflected his reaction with sarcasm.

"Do you really think I can do this?" He suddenly felt the need for her reassurance because he knew she'd give him her honest opinion.

"Yes." She answered him simply. "Because you can do anything you set your mind to. You've already proved that."

"What are you talking about?" Clark wasn't sure what she meant.

"I'm talking about the reasons that brought you back here." Lois leaned forward and kept her voice low. "You were given a role to play with no experience as a reporter and you've managed to pull it off. You _could_ be filling a desk chair at the _Daily Planet _without anything to show for it because it's just a cover.

"Yet you chose to make that cover as real as possible by accepting assignments from Mr. White when you didn't have to. You could have begged off by telling him you were working on your investigation, but you didn't. And you haven't let being a reporter interfere with the real reason that you're at the _Planet_ in the first place."

She was amazing; and if their circumstance were different, he could really fall for her.

_He was in so much trouble._

Clark heard her laugh softly and when he looked across the table, she was smiling. "Don't worry so much about this, you're going to be fine."

He smiled back at her and then stood up. "Let's get going."

Lois rolled her eyes because she seemed to sense that he didn't believe her and she would be right.

000000

He finished making his initial circuit of the ballroom before he joined Lois at the Press table.

She was sipping on the club soda she'd ordered earlier and nibbling on the hors d'oeuvres that were in ample supply on all the tables. As he sat down next to her and watched, he tried not to think too much about how she could eat the way she did and have such a trim figure.

_Hold it right there, Clark!_

"You're not going to comment on how much I'm eating, are you?" She raised an eyebrow at him.

"And risk being called on the carpet by my parents? I don't think so." He shook his head.

"Good decision. Besides, I plan on dancing off all the food I've eaten tonight." She added.

The idea of Lois dancing with anyone shouldn't have bothered him, but it did. He had to remind himself, again, that he was there to do a job and it wasn't fair to her that she had to sit on the sidelines all night.

Then she surprised him.

"Will _we_ get a chance to dance?"

"We should, but it probably won't be until the end of the night." He neglected of course, to tell her that Mr. White told him to finish up as quickly as possible so he could spend the evening dancing with her.

"Oh." She looked disappointed and it was a reaction he didn't expect.

"Lois, this isn't necessarily a bad thing." He smiled at her. "I'm a fellow who's got two left feet and after a dance or two, you might not _want_ to dance with me again."

"Maybe you haven't danced with the right girl yet." She commented as her face flushed and Clark knew that it had cost her dearly to admit that to him.

He didn't know what to say because he got the feeling she wasn't just talking about a dance and the idea that she might know about Lana bothered him, a lot. It bothered him because she probably thought less of him as a result. And if he had to admit it, which he didn't, he didn't want Lois to have such a low opinion of him.

He was saved from having to answer her as the lights in the ballroom suddenly dimmed. A single light was trained on a mirrored ball that was turning over the center of the floor, which cast reflected light around the room.

From behind the closed velvet curtains he heard 'Moonlight Serenade' begin and as they slowly parted, the brief rendition came to a close when the orchestra came into full view. They then launched into 'In the Mood' and after the applause died down, the tables cleared as the guests gravitated toward the floor.

It didn't take long for someone to approach the table and ask Lois to dance. He felt very much like her date when she turned to him and raised her eyebrows as though to ask him if it was all right. He nodded and she smiled at him before she got up and walked to the floor.

It went that way for most of the night and he knew that if he didn't ask her soon, he would lose out on the chance to dance with her himself.

His review had long since been plotted out and Clark felt that he had all the information he needed. So when Lois came back to the table, he decided that it was time. He stood up and as he was getting ready to ask, he saw Lex and Lana Luthor sitting at the Mayor's table on the other side of the ballroom.

And he got the unsettling feeling that the Luthor's had already spotted them.

It was a situation he never considered possible and since Lois was supposed to be at Fort Ryan with her father, Clark had to think fast to come up with a plausible explanation as to why she was there, without him.

He took her elbow and leaned in close so she would be sure to hear him. "Lois, do you trust me?"

"Yes." She said without hesitation and seemed a little insulted that he would ask.

"Then I need you to go along with me because we're going to have to do some playacting to get out of the jam we're in. Lex Luthor is here and you're supposed to be at Fort Ryan with your father." He explained as he escorted her out of the ballroom and into the lobby.

"I've got it covered." She assured him as she put a hand on his arm. "I saw them earlier and the same thing occurred to me, too. So I slipped out to call Dad and asked him to come to Metropolis on a rescue mission. I explained the situation and he said he'd be here as soon as possible. And that was." She looked at her wristwatch. "A half-hour ago. Our story is simply that we wanted to have a father and daughter evening before he ships out.

"He had some paper work he needed to finish and told me to come ahead and wait for him while he got cleaned up. He knows that we're dating and the only reason he let me come alone is that he knew you'd be here covering the show for the _Planet _and that you'd be my escort until he got here."

An opportunity suddenly presented itself and Clark wondered if he should take it, because Lex had decided to follow them and he and Lana were close on their heels.

_It might he his only chance._

Without saying anything more to her, he took Lois' hand in his and tugged her behind him. Since they were supposed to be a couple, why else would a smitten young man walk his girl out of a ballroom? And where would he take her?

He'd overheard stories as a child his grandparents would tell about the old hotels that had discreet places for couples who wanted a little romance and needed some privacy from public view. He looked around and sure enough, found a shallow alcove before he nudged Lois in. It _was_ secluded and he kept telling himself that he was only doing it as part of their charade.

Lois looked like a deer caught in the headlights, as it seemed to dawn on her what it was he had in mind when he slipped his arms around her waist. He pulled her close, probably closer than he should have but the whole thing needed to be convincing when they were spotted.

Because knowing Lex's bloodhound instincts, he'd make sure they would be.

He was a little surprised that she didn't object to his proximity and instead she seemed to grasp what he was doing when her hands came to rest on his shoulders and he could feel how nervous she was.

"I'm sorry Lois." He apologized for what he felt was his only option and because he wanted it so much. "I don't know what else to do."

"Don't be sorry Clark, just do what you have to." Her unsteady voice reassured him and he couldn't help but wonder how she really felt about it.

He looked into her eyes and hesitated because he needed to know that it was all right with her before he actually went through with it. Her answer to him was to carefully curl her arms around his neck and nod. His head dipped and just before he kissed her, she leaned back in his loose embrace.

"Wait!" Lois stopped him before she slipped his glasses off. "That's better."

"This is only for show, it doesn't mean anything." He didn't know who he was trying to convince, Lois or himself.

"I know." She nodded as he closed his arms around her and then he kissed her.

It was a gentle joining of warm lips and he had to remind himself that it wasn't supposed to mean anything. He had to remember not to tighten his arms around her waist and hold her the way he shouldn't have wanted to.

Yet he did, badly.

But when she unexpectedly sighed into his kiss, he stopped thinking altogether and was forced to face all of the unspoken and unacknowledged feelings that had developed for her in such a short period of time.

And they scared the hell out of him.

Still, he backed her up gently, as far as he was able into the back of the alcove. He pressed himself into her embrace as he tried to hold her as close as he possibly could. She answered his ardent action by tightening her arms around his neck and kissing him back with passion he didn't know was possible.

"If you're not that hot shot reporter my daughter's been bragging about, you better have a damn good reason for having your hands all over her." Clark heard an overly loud voice and with the small portion of his brain that was still working, could only assume it was Lois's father. And as much as hated to admit it, his showing up when he did couldn't have been timed any better.

Lois, for her part seemed reluctant to let him go, which he figured she would do once the General bellowed like an outraged father. He could feel the rapid beat of her heart against his chest and guessed that she was trying to pull herself together.

"Hi, Daddy." Lois said breathlessly as she eventually stepped out of Clark's embrace and into her father's arms. "Thank you for coming."

"Lois Joanne, what is this all about?" He could hear the concern in the low voice of General Lane as he hugged his daughter back and glanced at Clark with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion.

"We need to go outside if we're going to discuss this, sir." Clark cleared his throat and when Lois turned to look at him she was flushed, looked completely bewildered and he felt his own face warm. And that was before he saw Lex standing behind Lois's father, his hand on Lana's elbow.

"Lois Lane, I thought that was you. Dad and I thought you were at Fort Ryan, with your father." His smooth voice leveled an accusation at her. "It certainly is a small world to see you here."

"She's here at my invitation, young man." The General put his arm around Lois's shoulders in what Clark could see was a protective gesture.

"Then I'll be happy to report to my father that I've seen you and that you're all right." He looked pointedly at her. "He _was_ concerned when you disappeared as mysteriously as you did."

"There was nothing mysterious about it, Lex." Lois explained to him coolly. "Dad asked me to come to Fort Ryan after Pearl Harbor was bombed because he knew it was only going to be a matter of time before he was shipped overseas."

"So you said in your note to Dad." He didn't seem to believe her and then feigned obvious surprise when he saw Clark standing beside her. "Clark Kent?"

"How are you, Lex?" He was surprised at how calm his own voice sounded because he was anything but. If Lana chose to at that moment, she could expose their affair right there and he would be helpless to explain it to Lex, to Lois and her father. "It's been a long time."

"This really _is_ a small world." Lex looked at Lana and smiled. "Imagine that honey, it _was_ Clark Kent who was kissing Lois. We were both wondering about that, weren't we?"

She looked about ready to scratch his eyes out and gave Clark a pleading look. But _he_ suddenly saw that there might be a way out of the mess he'd made of his love life and took Lois' hand in a firm grasp.

"How are you Lana?" He asked as though it had been years since he'd seen her, hoping her husband would buy it and without waiting for an answer, smiled at Lois. "I'm at loose ends now, so how about that dance I promised you?"

"With the way _you_ dance, I think I can wait." She smiled back at him and he felt her take his hand in return. "Now Dad can do a mean jitterbug, if he would just loosen up a little."

Clark's hold on her hand tightened and he leaned in to brush his lips against her cheek. "I don't want to dance with your father, Lois."

Lex seemed particularly amused at the bantering between them, while Lana looked as though she was about to have a fit of apoplexy. But that wasn't his problem, it was her husband's.

"If you'll both excuse us, I'd really like to dance with my girl." He smiled at Lois and felt his face warm as she smiled back with a flush of her own.

"Your girl?" Lana's face blanched, Lex's smile grew and Clark couldn't help but wonder if he knew. "It isn't possible."

"What isn't possible, young lady?" Lois' father interjected. "I've never seen two people as happy together as they are. Wouldn't you Mrs. Luthor?"

"I don't understand." She was quickly beginning to lose her composure and Clark was certain that she was about to cry. And the look she gave him was one of devastation and betrayal.

"Darling, it you're ready to leave I'll have Charles bring the car around." Lex gestured to someone by the front doors. "It's been a long evening for you so I think it's time that we go home now and let Clark and Lois go back to what they were doing." He turned her toward the door before he stopped, almost as an afterthought and turned back around.

"Lois, before I forget. Dad told me that whenever you come back to Smallville, your job would be waiting for you. I thought you'd like to know that." He said before resuming his exit and Lana looked back at Clark as she was being propelled toward the main doors.

"He better watch out for that one." The General commented as he walked toward the ballroom and tossed over his shoulder. "She looks mighty unhappy."

"That would be awfully convenient wouldn't it?" Lois frowned. "Give me my job back so someone else can take potshots at me."

Clark squeezed her hand in an attempt to get her to look at him and when she did, he was dead serious. "No one will get that chance again; I'll make sure of it."

He hoped that she believed him because he meant every word.

"And I need to make sure that you keep your promise and dance with me." She shook off the serious mood they'd fallen into. "Then you need to get back to the _Planet_ to write your review."

"One thing at a time Lois." He said as he walked her back into the ballroom where her father was standing just inside, waiting for them. No sooner had they gotten back to the table that the band began to play 'Pennsylvania6-5000'. "Lo, how about a dance with your old man? You don't mind, do you Kent?"

"Not at all, General."

"Good answer." He deadpanned as Lois rolled her eyes at Clark. "I saw that, young lady."

"Of course you did." She laughed and took the hand her father offered. He watched them walk to the dance floor hand in hand before he lost them in the crowd.

It didn't take him long to find them, though and it looked as though they were having a serious discussion. No doubt about the clinch he'd seen his daughter in with a man he didn't know. But they seemed to settle things because he saw Lois hug him as the song came to an end and he walked with her back to the table.

"All right, son. She's all yours."

"Dad." She sighed and Clark could see where Lois got her bluntness. The band began to play 'Moonlight Serenade' and he knew that the evening was coming to an end.

"I believe that I promised you a dance." He said to her and she looked unsure as what to do. "I won't step on your toes, I promise." He tried to lighten the sudden tension as Lois took the arm he offered and he pressed her hand gently against his side.

"You do and you'll hear about it." She warned.

"I'm sure I will." He nodded as they walked to the dance floor to join the other couples. When they got there, he pulled her toward him and leaned in close to her ear. "You let me know if I'm holding you too close."

He slipped his arm around her waist and her hand found his shoulder as his free hand took hers and they began to dance. It was a respectable distance, but he could feel the tension as he held her. And that's why he was so surprised, given everything that had already happened when she made an unexpected suggestion. "It wouldn't be out of the question if you wanted to hold me a little closer."

The idea of it startled him and he had a quick debate with himself on whether to take her up on her offer or not. "Are you sure about that?"

"Clark, who knows how many people from the _Planet_ are here or if Lex left some of his people behind." She reasoned with him. "If we're going to play this thing all the way out, then it stands to reason that you would be holding me close. Don't you think?"

It made perfect sense but he didn't think it was a particularly good idea. "It doesn't mean anything."

_Were they back to that?_

"Not a thing." She shook her head to reassure him. "It's all for show."

"Just so long as we're clear on that."

_This was such a bad idea._

"Clark, you've already kissed me." She replied as he tried to keep stalling. "A dance should be a walk in the park compared to that."

He caught her eye and then sighed. "If I _hadn't_ kissed you, this _would_ have been a walk in the park."

"You did what you had to and I know that you didn't plan on it going as far as it did." She squeezed the hand that held hers. "And I wasn't exactly an unwilling participant."

All he could do was nod.

"Let's just get this evening finished so you can get back to the _Planet _and write your review. Then we'll go back to the farm, get a good night's sleep and put this whole night behind us."

"Do you think we can?"

_Did he want to?_

"We have to and you know that."

"Then we need to stay exactly where we are." It was the last thing he wanted, but it was for the best.

_It _was_ for the best._


	13. Reviewing the Evening

Clark sat at his typewriter, punching the keys while occasionally glancing at his notebook.

Lois leaned in to read what he was typing and could sense the tension. She wasn't sure if it was because of her proximity, or if he was just having trouble formulating his thoughts.

She had to admit, though that his proximity to _her_ was distracting because as she leaned close to him she could smell his shaving soap. She could smell it earlier, when he'd kissed her and again when he held her during their one dance together. And through it all she kept reminding herself that he just didn't see her that way; he couldn't.

Not even after a kiss that very nearly made her swoon, because it was all a part of his cover.

_Just keep telling yourself that, Lois._

As he continued to type, Lois heard the 'ding' of the elevator. She glanced up as the doors opened and she saw, of all people, Miss Chloe Sullivan step off with ...Jimmy Olsen? From what Clark had told her, she _still _wasn't giving the young photographer the time of day and yet here they were, together. It wasn't until the blonde saw her with Clark that she made her way toward his desk, in a hurry.

She leaned in closer, put her hands on his shoulders and felt them tense. "Clark."

"Yes?" His voice sounded unsteady and yet somehow he managed to keep typing. The man certainly had his priorities.

"Do you trust me?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

"It's your turn to play along." And she slipped her arms around his neck.

"What?" He turned his head to look at her, his fingers stilled on the typewriter keys and she glanced toward the elevator, hoping he would follow her line of sight.

"Chloe Sullivan, two o'clock." Lois warned and felt him relax, just a little and he resumed his typing.

"Don't overdo it Lois." He cautioned her with a soft warning.

"Says _you_." She replied with a flush she was glad he couldn't see. "I'll never look at an alcove quite the same way after tonight."

"I won't either." He told her as he turned to look at her again. "Thank you."

"For what?" She caught his eye and saw _his_ face flush.

"For making this assignment so memorable." His smile seemed a little hesitant. "My job won't be quite the same after this."

"That's what I'm here for." She answered with as much confidence that she could muster because she had the sudden urge to kiss him. Instead, she heard the tapping of a pair of heels come closer and then stop in front of Clark's desk.

"You're here awfully late." Lois looked up to see a very cross Chloe Sullivan, with a grinning Jimmy Olsen standing behind her.

"And if Lois doesn't sit down and behave herself, I'll be here even later." Clark gave her what should have appeared to be a look if disapproval.

"Since when have I ever listened to _you_?" _No truer words were ever spoken_, Lois thought as she raised an eyebrow at him, her arms still around his neck. "Besides, without _me_ here, you probably would have spelled Tex Beneke's name wrong again."

"I wouldn't have spelled his name wrong in the _first _place if you hadn't been trying to distract me." He scolded, again playing his part of a smitten reporter.

"I didn't hear any complaints earlier, buster." She gave him a look that _should_ have given Miss Sullivan a very clear picture of what they'd been doing.

"You never gave me the chance." His reply sounded appropriately defensive. If _that_ didn't paint the scene vividly enough, there was only one other thing that would work. But she knew that Clark wouldn't agree to it. "I didn't see you at the show Jimmy."

"I was there." His grin seemed to get wider as he observed Clark and Lois, as though he sensed he might actually have a chance with his dream girl after all. "Mr. White decided to give me a shot at a big story. And let's face it, it doesn't get much bigger than Glenn Miller."

Lois sized up the young man as he talked and had to admit that he was a nice-looking kid. She couldn't understand why the blonde wouldn't go for him, though. But she also had to admit that if she were in Miss Sullivan's pair of heels, she knew who _she'd_ choose.

"I got a shot of the two of you while you were dancing." He continued. "I hope you don't mind, but I'd gotten all the pictures I wanted and still had a couple of plates that I needed to use. Chloe mentioned that she hadn't seen a picture of Miss Lane on your desk, so I decided to help you out with that."

"Well aren't you sweet." Lois smiled at him. "Would you mind printing a copy for me too? We've been seeing each other all this time and I still don't have a picture of us together."

"_Lois_." There was a tone in Clark's voice that seemed to warn her that she was, indeed, overdoing it.

"I'm sorry honey; I'm embarrassing you again." She smiled at him, unwound her arms from around his neck and sat back down in the chair he'd gotten for her earlier. She looked up at Jimmy with what she hoped was an imploring look. "I honestly don't mean to."

"Gee Miss Lane, I sure wouldn't mind." Jimmy admitted. "You're sure a lucky guy, Mr. Kent."

His comment didn't seem to sit too well with Miss Sullivan because she turned on her heel and made tracks for the elevator.

"I guess I said the wrong thing." He shrugged as his face turned a bright red, before he turned and followed the irritated girl. "Chloe!"

As soon as they were safely on the elevator and the doors were closed, Clark stopped typing. "Lois."

"What? It worked didn't it?" She defended herself. "Because I don't think she's going to be bothering you any more."

"She's persistent." Lois heard him sigh as he began to type again.

"Women usually are when they really want something, or some_one_." She told him. "And as long as she thinks that there might be a chance with you, she's not going to give up."

"I need to talk to you about that." He continued to type for a few more minutes without further comment until he suddenly stopped, rolled the paper out of the typewriter, organized the pages and stapled them together.

"Chloe Sullivan?"

"Yes. Just let me turn this in." He requested before he stood up and walked to Mr. White's office and slipped the review under the door. When he came back and sat down, he turned his chair to face her. "I never got the chance to talk to you earlier, but Mr. White came up with a solution that should work."

"He knows that we're not really dating?" _She should have known._

Clark nodded. "He's also noticed what _you_ have, that Miss Sullivan is persistent and he suggested that I need a picture of you on my desk. Then maybe she'll finally get the idea that we really are supposed to be a couple."

"I guess my little display isn't going to help too much in the long run." She frowned.

"It will, for a little while. But some solid visual evidence would back me up." He was matter of fact about it. "I know this is a lot to ask for something that isn't real, but it _would_ help me."

_What were they doing?_

"Lois?"

She looked at him and it was her turn to sigh. "It seems to me that it would be more effective if the picture were of the two of us. Because if she sees us together, in a photograph it would just reinforce what she thinks she's seen so far."

"So you're all right with this?" He looked concerned as he slipped his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I hate these stupid things."

"I know you do." She sat forward. "As far as the picture goes, I have to admit that I'm not crazy about the idea. But if it's going to help make your cover more convincing and keep her at arms length so you can do your job, then I don't see that we have a choice."

"I didn't mean for this to get so complicated." Clark glanced at her and then sighed.

"I know you didn't." Lois tried to reassure him. "But sometimes there are unexpected consequences for things that seem so simple at the time."

"I didn't ruin the evening for you, did I?" He looked so worried about it and Lois didn't want him brooding over something that they couldn't change.

"Of course you didn't. You just made it a lot more eventful than I expected." She shrugged and for some reason that Lois couldn't explain Clark smiled at her, just before he laughed.

"Just how eventful were you expecting the evening to be, Miss Lane?"

"I was expecting to go with you to hear a swing band, get some dancing in and that was all, Mr. Kent." She'd almost called him Agent Kent, out of habit but remembered that they might not be the only people in the newsroom.

Clark seemed to realize the same thing because he said quietly, "Thank you."

"You got in enough hot water tonight; I just didn't want to add to it." She smiled back.

"I guess the General wasn't too crazy about the situation he found us in." His face flushed in embarrassment. "I really should have thought that whole thing through more carefully, knowing that he was going to be showing up."

Lois for her part was having a hard time looking him in the eye without blushing because she couldn't forget how it felt to have his lips on hers. She'd never been kissed quite so sweetly or as thoroughly as he'd kissed her earlier and it shook her to realize that she'd kissed him back in much the same way.

"Lois? Is everything all right?" How many times had they asked each other that question during the evening?

"Just thinking." She glanced at him and felt the familiar warmth creep across her cheeks.

"Me too." He admitted before he seemed to give himself a mental shake and stood up. "I called Dad this afternoon before you got here and told him that we would be on the 10: 30 train to Smallville. He said he'd meet us at the station."

"Clark, your father shouldn't have to get out of bed to come get us. We can take a cab." She frowned in disapproval as she stood up next to him.

"It _was_ his idea, Lois." He told her as he rolled down his sleeves and buttoned the cuffs. "He said it wouldn't be any problem to drive to the station. At most he'll only be up for forty-five minutes and then he can go back to bed."

"I don't like it." She stepped in front of him and without thinking about what it was that she was doing, grasped his shirt collar and buttoned it. It was only when Lois felt his hands on her waist, as she started to slip his tie up that she looked at him.

She saw his Adam's Apple bob up and then down and from the look on his face, she could see that he wanted to kiss her. So she jerked his tie in to place with enough force to let him know that it couldn't happen. "No command performances."

He looked disappointed and more than a little frustrated, but nevertheless nodded and dropped his hands before he picked up his jacket from the back of his chair and slipped it on.

Clark wasn't upset with her and she knew it. But Lois had no doubt that he was feeling the effects of starting something that couldn't go any farther than a kiss and probably kicking himself for kissing her in the first place.

He pulled his overcoat off of the coat rack and shrugged into it before he put his hat on. He took Lois by the elbow and walked her to the elevator. He pushed the down button and they waited silently until she heard the elevator car made a slow stop and then the doors were opened.

"Going down?" The elevator operator asked them and Clark nodded as he escorted her on. The doors were closed behind them and the tension seemed to grow the closer they got to the ground floor.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly as she leaned in close.

"I'm the one who should be sorry, Lois." She felt his breath close to her ear as he answered her just as quietly. "I shouldn't have been thinking about it."

"Clark." She frowned in frustration. "You don't understand."

"I understand that I thought about taking advantage of you." He grasped her elbow firmly, keeping Lois close and she wanted to shake him. "It's this situation we're in."

"I just want to go home." She said and wondered where home was as she leaned into him.

He sighed and pressed a brief kiss in her hair because he seemed to know. "We'll be there soon enough."

_What a mess they'd made of things!_

_oooooo_

"Lois? Wake up, we're home." She heard Clark's low voice, but didn't want to open her eyes. She'd been dreaming about a kiss in an alcove and didn't want to let go of it just yet. "If you don't wake up, I'll have to carry you in."

Lois's eyes snapped open and she realized that her head was on his shoulder. No wonder the scent of his shaving soap in her dream was so strong. She sat up and blinked a few times to try and wake up before sliding over to the driver's side of the truck. "I'm perfectly capable of walking into the house by myself."

She didn't know how long it had been since Mr. Kent had gone into the house, but knew it was where she wanted to be. She needed some distance between herself and Clark as soon as possible.

She was surprised to see Mrs. Kent sitting on the sofa in the parlor when she walked into the house and closed the door behind her. She shook herself out of her coat and hung it on the coat rack before she pulled on the hatpins to take her hat off.

"Did you have a nice time?" She asked as Lois stuck the hatpins into the crown, hung it up and walked into the parlor. A fire was burning in the fireplace, the tree was lit and the radio was on.

"A very nice time." Lois answered. "I've never had the chance to see a swing band live before tonight."

Mrs. Kent patted the seat next to her. "That's good."

She sat down next to Clark's mother. "I didn't expect to see you awake."

"It's an old habit." Mrs. Kent explained. "I used to wait up for Clark when he was still living at home. I never slept well when he was out of the house so I would make some tea and listen for the truck.

"It took me a long while after he left for the Academy to be able to sleep through the night. Now that he's home again and _both_ of you are out of the house, I find that I can't sleep." She admitted with a gentle smile and took Lois' hand. "Because you may not realize how much you've become a part of this family."

Her words touched Lois because she knew how heartfelt they were. It was just the topper to the whole evening and she suddenly had the embarrassing urge to cry; but she wasn't going to do it in front of Clark's mother.

"Good night, Mrs. Kent." Lois slipped her hand out of Mrs. Kent's and got up off the sofa.

"Lois?" She looked confused.

"It's been a long day, so I'm heading up to bed." She gave the older woman a small smile and turned toward the stairs. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Clark by the front door, hanging up his coat and he looked as troubled as she felt.

_They really had made a mess of things._


	14. Complications

Lois wasn't the kind of girl to give in to emotion and as Clark hung his hat up, he watched her go upstairs. He could see that she was close to tears and it worried him. She hadn't said much to him since they left the _Planet_ and he couldn't help but wonder if she were angry with him for taking advantage of her the way he did.

Clark had played it over in his mind countless times since he kissed her and tried to come up with other choices he could have made. Given more time, he probably could have come up with something else, but the fact of the matter was he didn't _want_ another choice.

"Clark, is Lois all right?" He glanced toward the parlor and the sound of his mother's voice as he started up the stairs. She was standing by the sofa looking worried. "She seemed out of sorts when she came in."

He knew that he was going to have to tell his parents what happened, to try and explain why; and he already knew that they weren't going to like it.

"I was just going upstairs to check on her." He told her and she looked a little unsure.

"Honey, I think I should probably be the one to do that."

_Had Lois told her what happened?_

"Mom, I got Lois involved in this so I really should be the one to talk to her." Clark appealed to her as he stood anxiously on the stairs, wanting to get up to his room as quickly as possible. "I've turned her life upside down in the last couple of weeks and I've got the feeling that it may have taken its toll on her."

_Never mind that he'd kissed her._

Martha Kent had always been intuitive about things and even if Lois hadn't told her what happened, she'd probably guessed with her houseguest acting so out of character. She looked even more unsure, but nodded and added cryptically. "Just think about what you're going to do."

He sighed. "That's my problem, I've been thinking too much."

Clark turned away from her and continued up the stairs. When he reached the top of the staircase, he walked hesitantly toward his room. The door was closed and he stood in front of it pondering the wisdom of knocking. He should just leave her in peace, but found he couldn't.

So he knocked softly as a warning before he opened the door and saw her standing at the window. "Lois?"

"What are we doing?" She asked without turning around as he closed the door behind him. "You bring me out here to protect me after a threat on my life. Who's supposed to protect me from you?"

_Now he knew what she was thinking. _And he knew thathe'd failed in his primary job as a Federal Agent because she no longer felt safe; but until Clark could find out who threatened her to keep her quiet, she couldn't go back into town.

She could however, go to Fort Ryan; she'd be safe with her father.

"The General."

That got Lois to turn around and he could see that she'd been crying. It unnerved him to see her so vulnerable and know that he was the cause of it. "You can't be serious."

"I'm dead serious." He leveled a look at her. "You know as well as I do that things have gotten complicated between us, when they had no business getting so personal in the first place. As a Special Agent, two things that have kept me alive are my objectivity and staying cool under fire. I've never failed at either of those two things, until I met you."

"So this is _my_ fault?" She frowned as she put her hands on her hips.

_This was the Lois he was familiar with. _

"I'm not saying that and you know it." Clark frowned in return and then sighed. "This whole thing is my fault and the only way that I can take responsibility for it is to send you someplace where I know you'll be all right."

"I'm fine just where I am and there is no reason to ship me off to the General." Lois stood her ground. "I still trust you."

"It's not just about your trusting me." He tried to make her understand. "After that run-in with Lex tonight, he might just decide to check out our story to see how true it is. And if he finds out that I'm an FBI agent and that our relationship is a ruse, we could both be in a lot of trouble."

"In more ways than one, it would seem." She shrugged her shoulders and turned back toward the window.

"What's that supposed to mean?" _Lois knew about Lana, she _had_ to!_

"It's not important." And she wasn't going to tell him.

"Lois."

"It's not important Clark, so leave it alone."

She was asking him to do something that was impossible.

"I had a lapse in judgment not long after I got home and it came back to haunt me tonight." He admitted to her carefully and wondered how she would react once he told her the whole story.

"Those sorts of things usually do." Her voice got softer and Clark wondered if she were trying not to cry. "And in the most unexpected places."

"I know an alcove at the _Regent_ that's going to haunt me for a long time." He knew it was a bad idea to mention it, but couldn't seem to help himself because it was already. He pushed his luck even farther when he approached Lois and put his hands on her shoulders. "I shouldn't have kissed you, but I'm not sorry that I did. I probably could have come up with something better if I'd had more time."

He never had the chance to finish his explanation before Lois suddenly turned to face him and she looked surprised. "You're not sorry?"

Clark shook his head. "I know I should be and I know that I shouldn't have put you."

Her arms were around his neck before he knew it and she stopped his apology with a kiss that knocked him off of his feet and on to his bed; the very last place that they should have been. And as he lay there, his mind was having trouble trying to process the feel of Lois' soft curves against him as her warm lips insisted he respond; because Clark was aware enough to know that things were quickly going to get out of hand if he didn't do something. "Lois."

He needed to stop her while he still had the ability to think, which was quickly vanishing as her lips brushed his cheek and he heard her breathless reply. "Hmm?"

"You're still going to Fort Ryan." He felt her body still, then relax against him and he felt her head go down on his chest.

He felt the motion as she nodded. "That's not why I kissed you."

"I know. I'll call your father in the morning and tell him to expect you." His arms closed around her waist and he tucked away the memory of how it felt to have her so incredibly close. It felt _much_ nicer than it had in the alcove.

She shook her head. "I'll do it. After what happened tonight, it would be better if I talk to him."

"All right." He agreed as he rolled to his side, taking Lois with him and felt his face flush when he saw her own reddened cheeks as he looked into her eyes. "I thought you said no command performances."

And to his relief, she smiled. "I meant that _you_ weren't going to kiss _me_ again. And you didn't."

"So I guess it's _my_ turn to put that rule in place." He deadpanned. And to his surprise, Lois blushed; which got him to sit up, reluctantly.

It was too great a temptation to stay there with her as they were, so he held his hand out to help her sit up next to him and Clark knew then that things between them had irrevocably changed. She refused to let go of his gentle grasp as they sat together and he tried to understand what it was that he felt for her. But he also understood that his bed was not the place to figure it out. _Not like that._ "Let's go for a walk."

"A cold shower isn't going to do it for you?" She teased and he couldn't help but smile.

"A walk would be much nicer." _He needed to tell her about Lana. _"Besides, there's something I want to talk to you about."

That got her attention and she looked at him curiously. "What is it?"

"Just come with me." Clark requested as he got up off the bed and pulled Lois with him. "I promise that I'll explain."

"What's the big secret? I already know about you and Becky in the hayloft." She laughed softly and he was happy to see her good humor returning because he didn't know how long it would last after he told her about the affair.

He opened the bedroom door and as he and Lois started toward the stairs, he saw his mother coming up.

"We're going to go for a walk." He explained before she could ask.

"A walk, at this hour?" She stopped on the landing before she looked at her wristwatch.

"We've got something to talk about." Clark elaborated.

His mother looked puzzled. "There's a perfectly nice fire in the parlor. You could talk down there and be much more comfortable."

"We won't be long." He told her as he gently nudged Lois forward and kissed his mother on the cheek as he followed.

"Honey, is everything all right?"

Clark looked up and saw the concern on her face. "Everything's fine."

He could see that she wasn't sure whether she believed him, but nodded just the same. "I'll see you in the morning, then."

"Good night, Mrs. Kent."

"Good night, Mom." He said as he followed Lois down the stairs.

They stopped by the front door and Clark got Lois' coat. He held it up and waited for her to slip her arms through the sleeves, then got his own coat and put it on. She buttoned up the front and pulled her gloves on as she waited for him to open the front door and he put a hand on her shoulder to guide her outside. He smiled behind her because he knew he didn't need to urge her the way he was; it was just an excuse to touch her.

It surprised him how quickly it had become second nature to be so possessive. He never felt that way about Lana, to have the urge to touch her whenever he had the chance. But with Lois he discovered that he took his opportunities where he could find them. Clark took her hand and tucked it into his elbow and was pleasantly surprised when she not only stepped in closer as he expected her to, but also put her cheek on his coat sleeve. "Cold?"

"No." It was all she would offer and it was enough.

"Good." He nodded as he held her hand against his body while they continued to walk and he took a deep breath"Lois?"

"Mm-hmm?" He heard her soft response and took another breath.

"I need to tell you something and you probably won't like it." He started and felt his heart begin to beat a little harder with apprehension.

"Just tell me what it is and I'll decide." She admonished him gently.

"I mentioned earlier that I'd had a lapse in judgment when I got home." Clark started.

"You did." He felt her nod against his arm.

"That lapse in judgment was a girl." He took a nervous breath"And she's married."

Lois didn't say anything and Clark wasn't sure if he expected her to, but the silence felt like an indictment. And then he heard her sigh. "Lana Luthor."

He was stunned and stopped to look at her but she refused to look back at him; it was no more than he deserved. "Yes, but how did you know?"

"She wasn't as discrete with her husband as you've been with me." She stepped away from him and continued to walk. "A couple of weeks before you came to talk to me, she came to the _Falcon _to see Lex and she told him that she was having an affair. She never mentioned you by name and I never would have given it a second thought until your parents were discussing it the night you brought me here.

"They were just as discrete as you were but it didn't take much to figure out that Lana Luthor's tryst and your lapse in judgement were one in the same."

"But you never said anything." He remarked, almost to himself as he followed her.

_And Lex had known the whole time. _

Lois shrugged her shoulders and still wouldn't look at him. "It wasn't my place because it wasn't any of my business. But your parents were awfully disappointed with the whole thing."

"When they found out about it, they let me know how unhappy they were. But as much as they disapproved, they conceded that I was a grown man and I had the right to make my own decisions."

"Even when it was a bad decision." She stated.

"Even when it was a bad decision." He agreed and wanted nothing more than to have the reassuring feel her hand on his arm.

"Are you still sleeping with her?" Lois glanced up at him briefly and Clark knew it couldn't have been easy for her to ask such a personal question.

"No." He shook his head. "Tonight was the first time I've seen her since I went to the _Falcon_ to talk to you, and it had been at least a week before that since."

"You don't need to paint that picture Clark." Lois stopped him by putting her hand up. "I get the idea."

"Lois, if I'd been seeing Lana during the last two weeks I wouldn't have made you a part of my cover. And I certainly wouldn't have kissed you."

"Are you in love with her?" She seemed to be waiting for an answer that she didn't want.

"No." He took her hand in his and tucked it back where it belonged. "I was fascinated by her and flattered by her attention, but that's all."

"So why weren't you seeing her before you talked to me?" She seemed genuinely curious.

"Because I felt like a heel." He admitted as he pressed her gloved hand against him and again felt her cheek on his coat sleeve. "I knew what I was doing was wrong and I knew how my parents felt about it."

"Then she saw us together tonight and thinks that _I'm_ the reason you haven't been to see her." Lois reasoned.

"And with Lex knowing about the affair, it would explain why he looked so amused by the whole thing." Clark added. "So when it comes down to it, your father was the only one who didn't know."

"You don't know how lucky you are that he didn't." She sounded as though she were trying to stifle a laugh. "Dad would have done a lot more than let you know how unhappy he was."

"I have no doubt." He sighed as he turned them back toward the house because it was too cold to be outside. "I'll drive you to Fort Ryan tomorrow, if you want me to."

"Are you sure you want to do that? Dad will probably have a lot of questions."

Clark looked down at her. "I can answer them. I'll just tell him that I'm concerned about your safety since our run in with the Luthor's and want to make sure that there aren't any of his people around here. Once I'm satisfied that the coast is clear, I'll come get you."

"Will you?" She asked but didn't look at him.

"Do you want me to?" He wasn't sure why he was asking, but Lois nodded.

"Yes." It was such a simple word, but she flushed and Clark understood why.

"Let's go back inside." He suggested and he felt her move closer to him as they walked. "Knowing my mother, she probably left some hot cocoa on the stove for us."

"She's always doing thoughtful things like that." Lois commented. "I'm going to miss her, and your dad. They've both made me feel so welcome here and it's the first time I've ever felt like."

And she stopped.

"It's the first time you've ever felt like, what?" Clark encouraged her. "Like you've come home?"

She nodded. "Something like that. Dad got transferred so much that we were never able to set down real roots as a family. He always tried to make each place we lived as much of a home for us as possible, but there's only so much that you can do with base housing."

"That explains why you went all out helping Mom with the Christmas decorations." He smiled at her. "She really enjoyed that."

"So did I." She pressed her cheek against his sleeve again as they approached the house. "She told me about her first Christmas with your dad after they got married and how she helped his mother decorate. She said it was the first time that they had the chance to talk and really get to know each other."

"Grandma Kent loved her because she loved Dad."

"Your mother said as much. And she loved her too because your grandmother made her part of a tradition that your great-grandmother made _her_ a part of." And she let out a soft sigh.

"What is it?" Clark looked down at her with concern.

"I was just thinking that a family tradition was wasted on me because I'm not a part of your family." Then she shrugged.

"Lois, if it made you and my mother happy then it wasn't a waste." And for the second time that night, he brushed a brief kiss in her hair. _He could get used to that. _"I know that she's enjoyed having you around and hopefully you won't have to be gone for too long."

"What if you finish your investigation while I'm at Fort Ryan? There won't be any reason for me to come back to the farm."

"If you think that's going to get you out of seeing my mother, you've got another thing coming." He laughed and hoped she saw the humor too. "If it does turn out that you don't need to come back, she'll expect you here for Sunday dinner at least once a month if not more. And she may just feel the need to go into town and visit you at the _Falcon_."

"Clark, I don't want her there." She sounded mortified at the idea.

"Mom isn't as naive as you might think Lois." He tried not to make light of her concern. "She's lived on a farm for the last twenty-eight years and there isn't much that surprises her anymore."

"That's not what I meant and you know it." Now she sounded annoyed and offended. "The _Falcon_ is perfectly respectable, but I still can't imagine your mother in a place like that."

"And until I brought you out here, I'd bet that you couldn't see yourself someplace like this. Am I right?"

"A farm is hardly the same thing as a gin joint." As they stepped up on the porch he could see her frown. "But I get your point."

"You'll always be welcome here, Lois." He tried to reassure her as he opened the front door and waited for her to precede him. "I hope you know that."

"I'd like to think so." She walked into the front hall and Clark followed her in, closing the door behind them.

He helped her off with her coat and hung it up. Then while he was taking off his, Lois walked into the parlor and stopped in front of the fireplace.

"What's wrong?" He followed after he hung up his coat and stood next to her.

"Nothing's wrong. I was just wondering why you decided to tell me about Lana Luthor." She sighed. "There wasn't any real reason for me to know about that because it doesn't have anything to do with your investigation."

"You're right, it doesn't." He admitted. "But I've been honest with you from the beginning about everything except that and I realized that if I expected you to keep trusting me, I needed to give you a reason. The last thing I needed was for that to come back and ruin the trust you'd placed in me."

"But it did come back and I still trust you." She stated.

"It didn't really." He shook his head. "If you didn't already know about it, you wouldn't have had any idea of why she was so upset."

"That's true." Lois admitted after a few moments. "And I have to admit that given what had already happened between us, I probably _would_ have felt that I couldn't trust you."

"And that's why I told you." He smiled at her.

"You don't need to look so pleased with yourself, Agent Kent." Lois gave him a pointed look. "So are you going to do something about it or keep on feeling like a heel?"

"Do something about what?" He was having a hard time keeping up with her train of thought.

"Clark." She sounded suspiciously like his mother when she used to scold him and he realized that Lois was talking about Lana. "It's obviously something that's bothered you from the start, especially knowing how your parents feel about it.

"You said that you haven't seen her in three weeks, so why don't you just make a clean break? It seems to me that you aren't going to be happy until you do."

Clark turned to look at her and he shouldn't have been surprised that she was being so straightforward, but he was. "It sounds simple."

"That's because it _is_ simple. You're just making it more difficult than it should be." Lois declared. "Clark, you aren't responsible for her happiness, but you are responsible for _yours_. And until you put an end to something that shouldn't have started in the first place, you'll always feel like you're missing something."

_She was right, about _all_ of it. _

And even though Clark always knew the right thing to do, it made a difference hearing it from someone _he'd_ come to trust.

"Am I getting through?" He heard Lois' voice and looked at her again. "Clark?"

"Loud and clear." He nodded. "As soon as I get back from Fort Ryan, I'll go talk to her."

"Promise me that you won't change your mind."

He couldn't help but smile at her earnest concern. "I promise not to change my mind."

She nodded. "I'm holding you to that."

"I know you are." He gave in to the urge to touch her, when he took her hand in his and then kissed her cheek. "Thank you."

"Don't thank me Clark. Just do what you have to and let yourself be happy." Lois flushed as she kissed his cheek in return and slipped her hand out of his grasp. "I think I'll skip the cocoa and go upstairs because I've got some packing to do. Knock on the door when you get up in the morning so I can call Dad and tell him to expect me."

"Will do." He assured her as she turned for the stairs.

"Goodnight, Clark." She threw over her shoulder.

"Goodnight, Lois." Clark watched her as she headed up the stairs. And as he did, he realized that she hadn't reacted the way he thought she might and made it that much easier to talk to her about the situation with Lana. She'd been disappointed in him, much like his parents and that bothered him. But she had also given him the swift kick he needed to rectify that very same situation.

For an evening that went wrong in so many ways, it actually managed to turn out all right.


	15. Destination: Fort Ryan

Her suitcase was packed and sat by the front door.

Lois stood with Clark and his parents and she could see that Mrs. Kent was trying not to cry. That bothered her because Clark's mother was not a woman who wore her emotions on her sleeve. And for her departure to affect the older woman so deeply made Lois want to cry as well.

Mr. Kent on the other hand looked troubled, his arms folded across his chest and a thoughtful frown on his face.

Clark explained to them that morning, after she'd called her father, why he was taking her to Fort Ryan. And while Mrs. Kent seemed to accept their story, she could see that Mr. Kent was having some doubts as to how true it was.

That wasn't to say he thought his son and his witness were being untruthful, but more that they weren't being completely forthcoming for the reason of Lois' relocation.

The General sounded much the same way when Lois talked to him and he had more reason than Clark's father did to question her temporary move. He'd been an eyewitness to a kiss that was more than it should have been and made it clear that when she arrived, he would expect a full report. That meant she'd have to tell him everything that happened; and that meant _everything_.

"You'll be back for Christmas won't you?" Mrs. Kent took her hand. "It seems a shame, since you helped me decorate the house that you wouldn't be here to enjoy it."

Lois glanced at Clark and he shrugged his shoulders.

_He was a big help._

"If you _are_ able to, you'll have to make sure that your father comes with you." She continued. "I imagine with your sister still in Germany and your mother gone, he doesn't have anywhere to go."

"I'll talk to him and see what he wants to do, Mrs. Kent. I know he'll appreciate the invitation."

"Well, we'd better let you go." And Lois found herself in a firm hug. "Take care of yourself, honey."

"Thank you for everything." She hugged Mrs. Kent just as firmly, wondering if they would meet again. "I hope I wasn't too much trouble."

"You weren't any trouble at all, Lois." The words were sincere, of that she had no doubt as Mrs. Kent seemed reluctant to let her go. "Call us when you get settled."

"I will." She promised as she stepped away from Clark's mother only to face his concerned father.

"Take care of yourself, young lady." He cracked a brief smile. "It's going to be pretty quiet with you gone."

She couldn't help but smile back at him. "Dad always says that, so there must be something to it."

"You've shaken things up around here, Lois." She saw him glance at Clark.

"It's what I do best Mr. Kent, just ask my dad." And with a chuckle that sounded so much like Clark, Mr. Kent hugged her.

"Thank you." He quiet reply was cryptic and then he let her go. "I won't tell you to have a safe trip. I _know_ you will because I know that my son will drive carefully."

"Come on Dad, you're the one who taught me how to drive in the first place." Clark told him with a grin.

"And that's what concerns him." Mrs. Kent quipped as Clark picked up Lois' suitcase and Mr. Kent opened the door.

"Don't forget to call us." He reminded her.

"I won't, I promise." Lois blinked her eyes to keep the tears she felt from forming and felt a gentle touch on her shoulder.

"Let's get going; your dad's expecting us." Clark's voice was soft and all she could do was nod.

He kept his hand on her shoulder and it reassured her as they stepped out of the house and the door was closed behind them. It was a particularly cold day as they walked to his car and she wondered if it might snow.

He stopped her when they reached the passenger door and left her standing there as he stowed her suitcase in the trunk. She made the mistake of glancing back at the house and saw Mrs. Kent watching from the parlor window.

She turned back around and must have looked as miserable as she felt because Clark's arms were around her and he held her. She shook her head as though to tell him that she wasn't going to cry, because she wasn't.

"I know." He said before she let him go and he opened her door. Just before she got in, he stopped her with a hand on her elbow. "We'll figure this out."

"And then what?"

"One thing at a time." He replied and closed the door when she'd gotten settled.

"Easy for him to say." She mumbled to herself as he came around and got into the car.

"This isn't easy for them either." Clark commented as he started the engine. "It goes without saying with Mom, but Dad's gotten used to having you around; though he'd never admit it."

"This _was_ your idea." She glanced at him as he turned the car around and headed down the road.

"It doesn't mean that it's any easier for _me_." He returned her glance for a moment. "I'm just trying to do what I think is best."

"I know." She conceded and sat back as they turned on to the main road and headed for Fort Ryan.

It was a quiet drive because it seemed that neither of them knew what else to say. The situation was what it was and no amount of discussion was going to change his mind about letting her stay. But the farther away they got from the farm; something began to nag at her. It was something he'd said to her the night before when he made the decision to move her.

And she realized that he probably wasn't moving her because he thought that _she_ didn't trust _him_, but because _he_ didn't trust himself with _her_. He sounded so frustrated when he tried to explain and at the time, she didn't understand why. But thought she did now.

"Clark?"

"Uh-huh?" His eyes didn't leave the road as he acknowledged that he heard her.

"I'd like to ask you a question."

She wasn't sure why, but he laughed. "Ask away."

"Will you give me a truthful answer?"

"Is that your question?" He spared a short glance and then smiled.

"Well, _that_ would be a waste wouldn't it?" She frowned.

"Lois."

"Fine." She rolled her eyes and then tried to figure out how to ask. "Are you taking me to Dad because of Lex, or because of everything that happened between us last night?"

He didn't say anything and she wondered what he was thinking. But he apparently decided to go with the direct approach and sighed. "Both. I meant what I said about feeling better if you stayed with your dad for awhile. If our story _is_ being checked out, you should be at Fort Ryan and not my parent's farm. As far as what happened, I'm not going to apologize because I'm not sorry. But the fact is, I'm an agent with the FBI and you _are_ a material witness for my case."

"That means nothing else can happen." She clarified.

"Nothing should have happened in the _first_ place." And he seemed to sense, rightly, that she was about to protest. "Which is why I'm moving you. It also means that if you can come back, I'll relocate to Metropolis. I never should have stayed at the farm in the first place, after I brought you out.

"But it was nice being home with my parents and being able to see them every day. The consequence of my decision was getting to know you as more than a witness and that is a situation agents aren't supposed to get themselves in to."

"Have I really made you lose your objectivity?" She remembered him mentioning it and the idea bothered her because she didn't want to be responsible for Clark not being able to do his job.

He glanced at her again, briefly, and his face was flushed. "Only when it comes to you."

His admission left her speechless and they didn't talk again until Fort Ryan came into view. "Have you got your identification ready?" He asked her.

She'd had it in her hand for the last half-hour, but didn't tell him that. "Yes. You'll need some identification too."

"I've got it covered." He assured her as they pulled up to the gate.

Clark brought the car to a stop as the MP stepped out of the guardhouse. "May I see your identification please?"

He handed Lois' military identification and his FBI credentials to the sergeant. Lois knew the drill and waited while their names were verified with a quick call to her father and then they were each given a pass.

"Wear those at all times while you're on the base. They need to be clearly visible and make sure that the parking permit is placed on your dashboard while your here. Read all posted signs and obey them. As I'm sure you're aware, there _is_ a war on and we're under orders to shoot first and ask questions later. So if you are warned to leave a certain area, I would advise you to do so without hesitation. Are my instructions clear?"

"Yes." Clark glanced at Lois and she nodded.

"Good. Miss Lane, General Lane says to park your car in front of his quarters, stow your gear and get over to his office ASAP. He wants to see you too, Agent Kent."

"Did he say why?"

"No sir. And I don't make it my business to question a three star general; I just follow orders."

"Thank you sergeant."

"Welcome to Fort Ryan." He returned their identifications, while another MP opened the gate and waved them through.

"Home, Sweet Home." Lois muttered to herself and didn't realize Clark heard her until he laughed.

"Bringing back memories?"

She sighed. "Too many to count."

"I felt the same way after not seeing the farm for five years." He sounded as though he were trying to reassure her.

"I've been here to visit since he was transferred, but visiting and staying are two completely different things." Lois tried to explain as she directed him to the base housing and her father's quarters.

It didn't take them long to get there and Clark parked the car. He got out and Lois glanced behind her as she watched him retrieve her suitcase from the trunk. He came around and opened her door and held out his hand.

He helped her out of the car and she was surprised when she looked at the house and saw that lights had been strung up. Lois wasn't sure why, but thought he stopped doing it once she and Lucy were grown and gone. The General never ceased to surprise her.

"What are you looking at?" Clark apparently didn't see what she did.

"Dad's got the lights up." She smiled and shook her head in disbelief.

"And?" He didn't get it.

She looked at him and her smile grew wider. "You have to know my dad to understand."

"Well, whatever it is, at least it got you to smile." He took her hand in a gentle grasp and walked her to the front door. As she knew it would be, the spare key was left under the doormat. She unlocked the door, walked inside and the house was as squared away as it always was.

The one exception was a six foot spruce in the front window. Lights were strung, ornaments were hung and tinsel was sprinkled evenly all around the tree and Lois couldn't help but smile again._ Military precision at it's finest._

The star at the top of the tree was the same star she and Lucy had chipped in their allowance money for when the angel Mom bought for her and Dad's first Christmas together had gotten lost in one of their many moves after she passed away.

She remembered how heartbroken he was and tried not to let on. He tried to make the best of it, but young Lois could see how much it hurt him. As hard as she tried, she couldn't find an angel but with the help of a very nice Master Sergeant at the Fort Marion PX, she found a gold star.

It wasn't much to look at, but it was all she and Lucy could afford. When they presented it to the General, you would have though that they gave him the Nativity Star itself. It was probably the only time she could remember that she saw tears in his eyes since her mother died.

"Good memories I hope." His voice was soft and she felt the brush of his fingers against hers.

"I'll tell you about that star sometime." She told him as she took her suitcase out of his hand and walked down to the spare bedroom that her father kept for her and her sister. It was something he'd always done so that his girls would have a place to come if they needed or wanted to.

He'd left it to Lois to pick out what she and her sister would like in a bedroom. That was when he was stationed at Fort Dix and ever since then, he'd packed the bedding around with him and made sure that each spare room he had was ready for them.

"Is everything all right? You've been awfully quiet since we got here." He sounded concerned.

"I'm fine." She tried to reassure him. "It's just that every time I think I have my dad pegged, he surprises me."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" She could hear the humor in his voice and for the first time all day, felt her dark mood begin to pass.

"It's definitely a good thing." Lois said as she put her suitcase down just inside the door. She'd have time to unpack after Clark went back to Smallville. "Let's go see the General and get the inquisition over with."

"Lois."

"Clark." She looked at him because he had no idea what they were in for.

oooooo

A young PFC sat at a desk in his Class A uniform just outside the General's office when Lois and Clark walked in. She told him who they were and that they were there to see her father. "Is he expecting you?"

"Yes, he is."

"Very good, ma'am." He said, then picked up a telephone receiver and dialed. "General Lane, your daughter and Agent Kent are here to see you." He nodded. "Very good, sir." And then he hung up. "The general is waiting for you."

"Thank you Private." She nodded and they walked to his office door. She heard voices coming from inside and turned back. "Are you sure it's all right?"

"Yes, ma'am. He's just finishing up a meeting with his new adjutant. He said it was all right for you to go in."

Lois hesitated a moment more before she turned the doorknob and walked inside. Her father was sitting at his desk and a tall, blond and very good looking lieutenant was standing behind him, as they seemed to be poring over the contents of a large file folder.

The General looked up, promptly closed it and smiled. The young lieutenant looked as though he was appraising her without trying to be obvious about it and if there was one thing Lois did _not_ appreciate, it was being ogled. She never put up with it from the patrons at the _Falcon _and she certainly wasn't going to put up with it from some upstart lieutenant.

Clark it seemed wasn't going to either as she felt him step in closer behind her. If she didn't know better, Lois would swear that he was staking out his territory and letting the lieutenant know it.

"I guess some introductions are in order." Dad stood up and cleared his throat. "Lieutenant, this is my daughter and Special Agent Clark Kent. Lois, Agent Kent, this is my new adjutant; he was just transferred from Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor."

"Miss Lane, Agent Kent it's a pleasure to meet you." He came around from behind the General's desk, offered his hand in greeting to them both and smiled. "Oliver Queen, at your service."


	16. The Green Eyed Monster

Clark didn't like him.

It wasn't rational to dislike someone you didn't even know, but there it was. General Lane's adjutant seemed nice enough, but Clark could see that he'd taken an interest in Lois and he didn't like it.

She didn't seem to either because he saw her back go ramrod straight and his first instinct was to put a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. But he was already in enough trouble with Lois's father and he didn't want to cause any more.

Instead, he took the proffered hand the lieutenant offered and shook. "Lieutenant."

"Miss Lane, the General mentioned that you're going to be here for awhile." The young officer began.

"Not any longer than she has to." Clark interjected, which got him a quick jab in the ribs from Lois's elbow and a raised eyebrow from the General. Lieutenant Queen didn't seem phased by his remark and kept his attention focused on her.

"That's too bad." He smiled at Lois before he glanced at Clark and looked too amused for the agent's liking. "I was thinking if you aren't doing anything for lunch, perhaps you'd like to join me in the officer's dining room. Then I can take you for a tour of the base."

Clark could sense that Lois was waiting for him to say something to give her another excuse to poke him, so he held his tongue. The General seemed to expect the same thing and looked a little surprised when he didn't say anything.

"Thank you Lieutenant, but I've already promised Dad that we'd have lunch. And he's already shown me around the base."

"Well, since I'm new here maybe _you_ could show _me_ around." He wasn't going to give up and Clark was in danger of getting another poke in his ribs.

General Lane cut the conversation off when he picked up the file folder they'd been looking at and he held it toward his adjutant. "Lieutenant, please take this with you and review the points of the report we discussed. I'll expect your assessment and an outline at 0800 tomorrow morning."

"Yes, sir." Before he left the office, the lieutenant smiled at Lois again and took her hand in his. "It was _very_ nice to meet you Miss Lane. Agent Kent." And he left the room, closing the door behind him.

_They were in the soup now._

"Agent Kent, why don't you and Lois take a seat while I finish this up." He indicated some paperwork on his desk before he sat down and picked up a pen.

Clark waited for Lois to sit down before he took a seat next to her. Though it had never happened to _him_, he now understood what it must have felt like for the kids in school who'd gotten called in to the principal's office. You knew you were in trouble for doing something wrong, but didn't have any idea of the punishment that was going to be doled out.

It felt a little like that as he waited and he couldn't begin to imagine what was going through Lois's mind. He was startled then, when he felt her fingers curl around his hand and when he looked at her, she was concentrating on a point beyond her father's shoulder. He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze and it seemed to be what she wanted because she squeezed back before she let go and sat back in her seat.

_She was something._

"Agent Kent?" The General didn't bother to look up as he continued to write.

"Yes, sir?"

"How long have you been with the FBI?"

Clark didn't know why he looked at Lois because all she could offer was a shrug of her shoulders, as though to tell him she didn't have any idea of where her father's line of questioning was going. "Five years, including the Academy."

"Did you ask to be posted to Kansas City?"

His brow furrowed in puzzlement. "No sir, they don't give us a choice. We go where the FBI needs agents and in my case they needed agents in Washington."

"So what is your reason for being _here_, if you're stationed in Washington?"

"An espionage investigation."

"Elaborate please."

Clark glanced at Lois again and she _again_ shrugged her shoulders. "The fact is Lois overheard a conversation between Lex Luthor and Senator Conrad Burke that dealt with information on schedules and routes of the merchant ships going to England. We've suspected for awhile that Senator Burke is the person responsible for that information being leaked from the War Department, but didn't have any tangible evidence of who he was leaking it _to_ until she contacted us."

"So explain to me how all of this got Lois out to your parents farm and involved in your cover."

Lois grabbed his arm and when he turned to her, she had a look of panic on her face and she shook her head. He mouthed to her in confusion. "_What?_"

She made the motion of firing a gun with her hand and shook her head again.

_Lois never told her father about being shot at._

"What don't you want him to tell me Lois?"

"It's nothing important." She seemed to be trying to waive him off and even Clark understood that she should have known better.

"The hell it isn't if you don't want Agent Kent to tell me." He did look up then and set his pen down. "Did he take you into protective custody because there was a possibility of you joining your mother? Is that what you didn't want me to know?"

"Daddy, it wasn't protective custody because it wasn't that serious." She tried to tell him.

"Lois." Clark warned her and when she frowned at him, it was his turn to shake his head.

"I didn't raise you and your sister to be liars, Lois Joanne and I won't stand for it now." His voice was calm, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that he was upset. "Agent Kent, did someone shoot at my daughter that night?"

"Yes sir, twice." An answer that earned him a swift punch in the arm.

"Stand down, young lady." He had a look that wouldn't brook any nonsense from his eldest and she knew it as she sat back and folded her arms across her chest. "And because of this, you just decided to take her to your parents."

"No sir. I called my field office in Kansas City to explain the circumstances and I was told to take her into custody until I could find out who the shooter was."

"Have you found him yet?"

"No sir, I haven't." Clark admitted. "At the moment, my investigation seems to have hit a brick wall."

He frowned. "So what made you locate her where you did?"

"It was the first place I thought of." He informed the General. "My plan was to keep her there just overnight until I could arrange for some other accommodations, but I found that a little difficult to do because my parents took a liking to her. I asked if it would be all right if she stayed where she was and the field office didn't have any objections."

"Unless I miss my guess, it would seem that you've _also _taken a liking to her." He raised an eyebrow and Clark could see Lois in his querying look.

"Dad." She admonished him.

"It would seem that _you've _taken a liking to him too." Her father stated as his attention moved to Lois and he sat back. "So what are the sleeping arrangements?"

Lois was out of her chair and Clark had never seen her so flustered or so angry. "What in the hell is _that_ supposed to mean?"

He reached for her wrist and held it to try and get her attention but she wouldn't, or couldn't look at him. "Lois, he didn't mean it that way and you know that."

She wouldn't budge, so he tried again.

"Lois, it's a fair question. So why don't you sit down and answer your father." He spoke to her softly and out of the corner of his eye, saw Lois' father observe the exchange with a look of curiosity and something else he couldn't put his finger on, or perhaps didn't _want_ to. "Lois."

She sat down in a huff and refused to look at her father. "I can't believe you asked."

"And you _still_ haven't answered my question. What are the sleeping arrangements?" As he watched them, Clark could see where Lois got her stubborn streak, though he'd never tell her that. It would have been easier for him to step in and answer, but the General wanted to hear it from her. And she refused to answer.

"Lo, the silent treatment didn't work when you were nine and had to eat vegetables you didn't want to eat. I outlasted you then and I sure as hell can outlast you now." He sat forward and seemed to make the decision to try another tack. "Unless there's a reason that you don't _want_ me to know where you're sleeping, or with whom."

"It's not what you think." She sighed. "And if you knew the Kent's, you'd know that I wouldn't do that to them. Clark sleeps on the sofa in the parlor and his parents gave me his room."

"I figured it was something like that, _you_ just jumped to the wrong conclusion."

"Well seeing as how you pushed me in that direction, what was I supposed to think?" She was still frowning, but her anger had visibly dissipated.

"I'm your father Lois and while you may be a grown woman, that fact will never change. And I take it as a father's prerogative to butt into my daughter's lives, whether they like it or not. Your mother would have done the same thing; she just would have been much more tactful about it than your old man."

She nodded.

"So Agent Kent, how did my daughter get involved with your cover?"

"It was purely by accident."

"Come again?" The General looked confused.

Clark glanced at Lois, but she wouldn't meet his gaze. "She came to the _Daily Planet _one morning with the intention of helping with my investigation and walked into a small problem I've been having with a girl who works there."

"And to extricate yourself from the problem, you introduced Lois as your girl." And to Clark's surprise, he smiled. "Which you caught hell for, I'm sure."

"Yes sir."

"She's just like her mother." And then he laughed.

"Dad." Lois admonished him again, but she was smiling. "Everyone knows I'm just like you."

"And no doubt keeping the good agent on his toes." He smiled back at her. "But I'm sure he's kept you on yours too."

"He's been giving me a migraine." She ducked her head as she smiled and her father blinked a couple of times as though he were just realizing something and then shook his head with a smile.

_Oh lord, what was he thinking?_

"So, is there a timetable for how long you want Lois to stay here?" General Lane looked back at Clark. "A couple of days, a couple of weeks?"

"Just long enough for Lex Luthor to check out our story and convince him it's on the up and up. I can't imagine that it will take more than a few days." Clark gave the General his assessment. "I'll stay in touch with Lois to keep her apprised of the situation."

The General just nodded and seemed to be trying to stop a smile. "I'm sure she'll appreciate that. In the meantime, I think now would be a good time for my daughter to go back to my quarters and unpack."

"Dad?"

"Go on Lo. I've got some other matters to discuss with Agent Kent." He stood up and came from around his desk. "We won't be long and then we can all go to lunch before he leaves."

"Dad." _Did Lois know something _he _didn't? _

"It's all right." He reassured her as he helped her out of her chair and escorted her to his office door.

"Here's your hat, what's your hurry." She frowned as he opened the door.

"Go on now. It's all right." He nudged her out and closed it behind her.

The feeling of being called into the principal's office came back to him as he watched Lois's father walk back behind his desk and sit down.

"Does she know about that girl?" His point blank was startling, but not surprising.

"Yes. She's always known."

"She knows that you're sleeping together." He was uncomfortably blunt and Clark understood why General Lane wanted Lois out of the room. Their conversation had nothing to do with his being a Federal Agent, but everything to do with being a prospective suitor for his daughter.

_Was he?_

"We _were_." He felt the need to clarify. "The fact is, last night was the first time I've seen Lana in three weeks."

"I can't condone it, but I can see why your head was turned. She _is_ a pretty little thing." The General commented. "But you do realize that nothing would have come of it."

"I don't understand."

"I've always been a student of human behavior." He tried to explain. "It's interesting what you can find out about people just by watching what they do, rather than what they say. I'll give you an example."

_Why did Clark get the feeling he wasn't going to like it?_

"You and that stubborn daughter of mine."

_He _knew_ he wasn't going to like it._

"You may think that your relationship with her is completely professional and what you've done for her is in the line of duty."

"It is." He was feeling defensive and it annoyed him.

"Son, you seem to forget that I _saw_ that kiss last night and it wasn't an agent kissing a witness as part of his cover." He sat forward. "You kissed my daughter because you wanted to and used your cover as an excuse."

"I can explain that." _He was in so much trouble. _

"What is there to explain? Lois is a pretty girl; she gets that from her mother by the way. You've obviously noticed her and have taken an interest; it's only natural. But she's also head strong, opinionated and blunt. She gets that from _me_." He sounded proud of it and Clark couldn't help but smile. "I should point out however, that some _else_ has taken an interest in her too, just recently in fact."

"I'm aware of that." He frowned.

The General laughed and he felt his face flush. "I know you're in a dicey situation and what you're feeling for Lois wasn't something you expected. But there is nothing that says that once your investigation is complete that you can't do something about it."

"Once my investigation is complete, I'm headed back to Washington." Clark told him and not for the first time, hated the idea.

"It doesn't mean that a relationship with Lois is out of the question." He stated in a matter of fact way. "It just means that it'll be a logistical challenge. But if you think she's worth it to you, you'll figure it out."

"I don't mean to be disrespectful sir, but you're talking as though Lois has some interest in me." He looked at the older man. "Even if I _was_ in a position to think about her like that, she might not want to give me the time of day once this is all over."

"Don't fool yourself son." _There it was again_. "There is _no way _that my little Lo would have let you get her involved with your cover if she weren't the slightest bit interested. And she wouldn't have let you kiss her either, that's for _damn_ sure."

"She went along with it because it was the only thing I could think to do." He tried to defend himself and even _he_ didn't believe it.

"And if you hadn't wanted to kiss her so much, you might have come up with something else." The General agreed. "That's what's bothering you, isn't it?"

"I was already stretching the rules by having Lois stay in a non-secured safe house and I shouldn't have continued to stay on at my parents once she was there."

"I gather that you've left out that detail in your reports to the field office." He guessed.

Clark nodded. "Once I made the decision to leave her there, I should moved into a rooming house in Metropolis. I should have checked in every day to make sure she was all right and never stayed overnight."

"It can be dangerous for an agent to lose his objectivity." General Lane stated the obvious. "But I know I don't need to tell you that."

"No sir, you don't."

"Has this ever happened before?" The question seemed innocent enough.

"No." He answered truthfully. "Because I've never protected a witness before who had the ability to do that."

"But my daughter does, apparently." _And there it was. _

The General stood up suddenly and Clark followed suit. "Lois couldn't have gotten far, so why don't we catch her and go over to the officer's dining room." He looked at his watch. "It's a little early for lunch, but we can have a late breakfast if that suits you."

"That sounds fine. I actually didn't eat this morning."

"I'd wager she didn't either."

"I don't think so."

"It figures." He smiled as he headed toward the door. "That girl would live on coffee if she could."

Clark didn't doubt it.

They walked to the outer office and stopped long enough for General Lane to tell the PFC that he would be away from his office for a couple of hours. "Take a message or tell them they can wait here, if it's important. But make it clear that I cannot be disturbed."

"Yes sir."

He followed the General out of the office and as they headed down the hallway, he spotted Lois. She was talking to someone, he couldn't see who, until they got closer and then he frowned.

_Oliver Queen._

"Kent, if I were you, I'd wrap up that investigation as quick as you can." Lois' father advised.

"I'm working on it sir." Clark sighed. "I'm working on it."


	17. Heart to Heart

"Another telephone call from Agent Kent?" Lois' father asked from the kitchen as he was drying the last of the dinner dishes. His K P duty was the result of Lois impressing him with the feat of cooking which elicited a response that he would do the dishes to celebrate.

"He was just giving me a report on how things are going." The General seemed dubious and that made her defensive as she hung up the receiver. "With his investigation."

His turned his back to her and Lois knew he was doing it to try to hide a smile. It wouldn't do to let the troops know their commander was soft. "Whatever you say, Lo." And then he turned back to face her. "I just find it interesting that he feels the need to call you every night to give you a report and you've been here less than a week."

"Daddy, he's just doing his job." She frowned at him.

_That's all it was._

"That may be true, in part. But I think it's something much more basic than that."

"What are you talking about?" Her father was being too cryptic for her liking.

"He misses you." He told her. "He'd never admit it though, because that boy is just as stubborn as you are."

"And _you_ seem to have missed the bulletin that says he's an FBI agent and I'm a witness he's protecting." She put her hands on her hips in irritation.

"Don't get smart with me Lois. I damn well know the situation and I also know the situation with my adjutant has him concerned." It was his turn to frown.

"Oliver?" She wasn't expecting that.

"Oliver, is it?" He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "When did _this_ happen?"

"I saw him earlier when I was walking around the base." She explained. "I was near the P X, I think, and I nearly walked into him. We started talking and he asked me to call him by his first name."

"He's taken with you, you know." He seemed to be trying to alert her.

_How could she _not_ know? _Oliver Queen had, so far used every ploy that had ever been used on her by other men and even came up with a few of his own. She couldn't deny that he was handsome, because he was. But he was a little too sure of himself, that bordered on being cocky and he always seemed to know the right thing to say and the right thing to do.

Lois had long ago become immune to that sort of thing and while he _was_ nice, he was just making his interest in her a little too plain. And while it didn't make her uncomfortable, it did make her wary. Because in her experience, it was usually a prelude to try and get her into bed for a little off-duty relaxation.

But to her consternation, the only one she could remotely see relaxing with was an FBI agent on temporary assignment from Washington.

_Great!_

"Did you hear what I said?"

She gave herself a mental shake. "I'm sorry Dad."

"I said that the moon is made of blue cheese and would you like a slice?" He quirked an eyebrow at her.

"Very funny." She smiled at him as she shook her head.

Every once in awhile, her dad showed that he had a sense of humor and she couldn't help but wish that he would do it more often.

"I was saying that I think you need to let Lieutenant Queen know that you're unavailable."

And with what she could only call a deja vu moment, held up her left hand and showed it to her father. "Do you see a ring on this finger? I'm hardly unavailable."

"Lois, you know damn well what I mean and don't even think to tell me that you don't." He slapped the dishtowel down on the counter. "Whether it's supposed to happen or not, and I'd venture to say that it isn't, you _are_ falling for an FBI agent. And from what I've observed so far, he's falling for you too and he's falling hard."

"You're crazy." She felt her face flush and silently cursed her father for being able to do that to her. "We just got caught up in a situation that got a little out of hand."

"Then why did he bring you here?" He pressed. "Why did he feel the need to relocate you so quickly?"

"Because of Lex, that's why." She answered. "Clark just wants to make sure that his story checks out, so he can keep his parents and me safe."

"And you believe him?"

"I have no reason _not_ to." She defended him and her face got warmer.

"From what I saw the other day, I'd have to say that he brought you here because he doesn't trust himself. And that can only mean that something else happened after he took you back to the Kent's."

She didn't know what to say because she couldn't deny it. But she didn't want to tell him that something actually _did_ happen.

"I'm going to ask you this once and I want a truthful answer." He began.

She knew what the question was. "We haven't slept together; he's too honorable for that."

"Then you know about his other situation." The General's voice was guarded.

"I do." Lois nodded as she looked at her father. "I also know that he hasn't seen her since before he came to talk to me."

"What happened?" He was asking point blank what occurred that night and she knew he wouldn't be satisfied with anything less than one hundred percent honesty.

"I kissed him and we ended up on his bed where _nothing happened. _Then we went for a walk and he told me about her." Lois gave him the highlights. "All right. I'll admit that part of the reason he wanted me here _was_ to put some distance between us because we were finding ourselves in a no-win situation."

"You're in a no-win situation _now_." Her father was serious. "He's there, you're here and nothing is being resolved. So if you're going to do that you have to go back."

"What?" _The General had lost his mind._

"You heard me." His voice was firm as he leveled a look at her and folded his arms across his chest. "Lois, you can try and convince yourself, and me that what happened between you and young Kent at the hotel was all a part of his cover as a reporter.

"You can also try and convince yourself, and me that kiss didn't mean anything. But you seem to have forgotten that I had a front row seat to some of your romantic adventures. And I have to tell you that until now, I've never seen you get that look a woman gets when she's found the right man."

"Dad." She objected weakly.

"Don't 'Dad' me, young lady. After your mother died, your grandparents told me that they always knew when she was thinking about me because she would get that same look." She saw it with him and knew he was thinking about her mother. "I never forgot that and it helped get me through that first year without her."

"We hardly know each other." She tried to counter and only managed to sound defensive.

"I think you know each other better than you think you do." He obviously wasn't buying it. "You've been spending a lot of time with him and no doubt bickering with him."

Lois felt her cheeks warm again and the General smiled.

"You _are_ just like your mother, in spite of what you think. The point I'm trying to make is that it doesn't matter how long you've known someone. I felt like I'd known _her_ my whole life when we'd only known each other for a few days, and that was because we talked.

"I'd bet that you feel the same way about _him_, even though you've only known each other for a couple of weeks. Because if you didn't feel that you knew him, you wouldn't have let him kiss you, charade or not. Hell, you wouldn't have gone along with his plan in the first place. Am I right?"

_She hated it when he was right, but he _was _right._

"Lois?"

"You're right, about all of it." She frowned and her father surprised her by putting his arms around her shoulders to try and give her some comfort.

"I know this whole thing has you rattled. But when you find something that's worth holding on to, it _should_. I had to move you two girls around so much when you were growing up and we were always facing changes." He sighed. "New bases, new schools and new friends. But this may be a chance for you to find the stability that I couldn't give you because of my job. This may be a chance for you to find a real home with someone."

"You seem so sure about this."

"That's the last damn thing I am.. But you _are_ a Lane and Lane's never back down from a challenge. You know that."

She nodded reluctantly before pulling away and then looked at him. "He's not going to like this."

"Having you back under the same roof will be a little complicated, but that's what cold showers are for." He shrugged. "God knows I had to take a few of those myself when I was courting your mother."

_She didn't want to hear this_. "Dad!"

And her embarrassment was rewarded with a rare laugh from her father. "The facts of life, Lo. Remember that I raised you and your sister never to shy away from them."

"You did." She smiled at him. "It's a moot point anyway because he said that when I came back, he would relocate to Metropolis."

"I wouldn't bet the farm on that, if I were you." He smiled as she rolled her eyes. "He'll find some excuse or another to stay put and the two of you are just going to have to find a way to deal with each other."

"There _is_ still the matter of his investigation." Lois felt the need to point it out and the General nodded. "And it's not helping that he's being blocked with so much of what he's trying to do."

"What are you talking about?" He looked confused and a little suspicious.

"You know that he was sent out here to investigate the connection between Lex and Senator Burke." Her father nodded as she continued. "He told me that he's not getting a lot of cooperation and that Washington isn't giving him the clearances he needs to do his job."

"Damn Feds. This is wartime and we're talking about espionage." He stated the obvious.

"That's what _he_ says. But he also said that his is only one of thousands of cases and feels that they aren't giving it the priority it needs."

"Then it sounds to me like he could use some moral support from someone who happens to be staying with her father at the moment." The General informed her with a smile.

"_That_ was subtle." Lois smiled back at him.

"Lane's are not known for their subtlety, _you_ of all people should know that."

"I think I've just been insulted." She gave her father a pointed look.

"Hell no, that was a compliment." He assured her. "Because it's nice to know that as much as you're like your mother, you've got something of _me_ in you."

"_Some_thing of you?" She shook her head. "I think it's fair to say that Mom would have thought that I was just like you and would have been happy that at least I _looked_ like her."

"You do." He was serious. "You _are_ a picture of your mother."

"Thanks, Dad." She didn't know what else to say.

The General seemed to shake himself out of his sentimental mood and cleared his throat. "All right then, it's agreed. The mission has changed and you will return to the original objective, namely the Kent Farm. I will expect you to be packed and ready to shove off at 0900 hours tomorrow."

"0900? That's kind of late, isn't it?"

"You never were an early riser. So be glad that it's 0900 and not 0700."

"Understood. I'll be ready."

"I just hope young Kent is."


	18. His Heart's Desire

"Kent! In my office, _now_!" Clark heard Mr. White call for him from the doorway of his office and the older man looked annoyed. He must have really botched the review and was about to get chewed out for it. So he stood up, ready to run the gauntlet.

"Yes, sir." And as soon as Clark stepped inside the office, the door was closed behind him.

"Have a seat, son."

He didn't waste any time going to work to defend himself. "I know it's probably not up to the music editor's standards, but with some editing it should be fine."

"What are you talkin' about?" Mr. White frowned for a moment before he shook his head. "Ah hell son, the review is fine. In fact, I may have to fight the music editor for you after this."

"Well if I'm not in here about the review, then why _am_ I?"

He walked back to his desk and sat down before he leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together across his stomach. "I was just curious to know how everything went."

"Sir?" Clark wasn't sure what he was asking.

"Did Miss Lane have a good time?"

_This was about Lois?_

"She had a _very _nice time." He told the older man.

"Did you take the opportunity to dance with her?"

"I got a dance at the end of the night." Clark nodded. "I didn't really have a chance before then."

"It was 'Moonlight Serenade', then?" And a smile crept across his face.

Clark's chosen profession as an agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation made him prone to suspicion and his editor's line of questioning was making him very suspicious. He just wasn't sure of _what_ yet. "As a matter of fact, that _was_ the song."

"Well it's nice to know that callin' in favors comes in handy." And the smile became a grin.

"I don't understand." Actually he thought he did.

"Son, I don't usually engage in matchmaking; that's more Alice's department." He shrugged his shoulders. "But when I saw you with that pretty gal, I decided it was time to call in a favor from that pompous windbag music editor."

"They weren't short on critics, were they?" _He never saw that coming. _

Mr. White shook his head. "I simply used my considerable powers of persuasion to remind him that three of my best reporters were loaned to him when his entire staff came down with the influenza a couple of years ago. And I also reminded him that he told me to call on him for a favor when I needed it."

"The Glenn Miller show." A trap had been set, and he and Lois walked right into it.

"It was the one show that all of his critics wanted to cover and it was the one show that I insisted on, figurin' that she would want to go."

"Did anyone else know about this?" Clark had a pretty clear idea already.

"Young Olsen did." The editor confirmed it with a nod. "I was planning on sendin' him anyway because I felt it was time to give him a chance and see what he could do. I just gave him extra instructions to get a picture or two of you and Miss Lane. For your desk, you understand."

Jimmy had said as much that night; he just never mentioned that Mr. White told him to do it.

"I know you think I'm meddling where I don't belong, but I know chemistry when I see it." He shrugged again, unapologetically. "And the two of you have it."

Clark didn't know what to say, so he took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"If you wanted to quit on the spot, I would understand. But it won't change that fact."

"You did all of that for us?" And the moment he said it, he wished he hadn't.

"So you're an _us_ now, are you?" No wonder he was called a news_hound_. He could sniff out the smallest, seemingly insignificant detail and exploit it.

"That's not what I meant." He sighed and put his glasses back on. "At this point though, it doesn't matter because she's with her dad at Fort Ryan."

_Clark, stop talking!_

"And whose idea was that?"

"Mine."

"And would that have anything to do with an alcove at the _Regent_?" Clark knew he'd revealed too much, again and sighed, again.

"Lex Luthor spotted us during the show and as far as he knew, Lois was supposed to be at Fort Ryan. So I took her there in case he decided to check out the veracity of the story." He explained.

"You _took _her? Why not just put her on a train?"

_Keep digging Kent; just keep digging. _"_I _was the one who came up with the story in the first place. So it seemed to me that it was only right that I take her over there myself."

"That was very chivalrous of you, Kent and I'm sure she appreciated it." He nodded and seemed to be trying to keep a straight face. "Have you figured out how long you're going to leave her there?"

"I don't really know yet." Clark admitted.

"You'll know when the time is right, son; then you'll bring her home." And he stood up, effectively ending the conversation.

_Home?_

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off? You've been putting in a lot of extra hours the last few days and you look like you could use some time off." Mr. White suggested as he walked to the door and opened it. "I'll see you in the mornin'."

_Here's your hat, what's your hurry. _

That's what Lois had said when her father had unceremoniously ushered her out of his office and Clark felt very much the same way being ushered out of Mr. White's.

When he got back to his desk, he wondered if being called into the editor's office was a diversion because there was a newly framed photograph of Lois and him that Jimmy must have taken as they were walking to the dance floor.

The first thing he noticed was that he'd forgotten to put his glasses back on, so it effectively made the picture much more personal. Her hand was tucked through his elbow and as accustomed to it as he'd become, it was the first time he saw what an intimate gesture it really was.

The young photographer had caught them in mid-conversation and Lois was probably admonishing him not to step on her toes. But she was smiling, and so was he.

"It looks like you had a nice time with her." Clark started at the sound of Chloe Sullivan's voice, who he found standing next to him looking at the photograph. "She really seems to care about you."

"I care about her too." He told her truthfully and then added. "I've never met anyone like her."

"So it's pretty serious, then." She glanced up at him and he nervously adjusted his glasses.

"We're still trying to figure some things out." He told her.

"I think I'll wish you luck then. She's a lucky girl." And she put out her hand and Clark smiled as he took it and shook.

"I'm the one who's lucky, Miss Sullivan. And thank you."

She slipped her hand out of his and smiled at him before she turned around and walked toward the elevator. He could see she was carrying several large envelopes and as she got on the elevator, figured she was headed down to the mailroom as the doors closed.

He set the picture down next to the one with his parents and somehow his desk finally looked complete.

As he buttoned up his collar and tightened his tie, Clark knew there was someplace he needed to go. He'd promised Lois that he would talk to Lana when got back from Fort Ryan. But when he got home that afternoon Mr. White called and told him to stop whatever it was he was doing and get over to the new aircraft factory, pronto. The first B-17 manufactured at the previously abandoned warehouse was being rolled off the assembly line and he wanted someone from the _Planet _there to cover the event.

It seemed to be one assignment or another after that, that kept him from keeping his promise to Lois. But now with Mr. White giving him the rest of day off, it was time to take care of it.

He rolled down his sleeves and buttoned the cuffs before he slipped his jacket on and then picked up the telephone receiver. He dialed and waited for an answer. When the other end of the line picked up, he pushed his glasses up and rubbed the bridge of his nose again.

"We need to talk. I'll be there at three o'clock." And he hung up the receiver.

He took another glance at the picture and as he turned to grab his hat and coat, noticed a manila envelope, with his and Lois's names on it. He didn't notice it there when he got back to his desk and must have been left there by Miss Sullivan.

He picked it up and when he opened it, there were two photographs inside. One was a copy of the picture on his desk and had a note paper-clipped to it that said simply, 'For Miss Lane'. The other was a different picture and had been taken of them in the alcove, just before he kissed her.

How could he have missed the flash of a camera bulb?

The photograph captured well the anticipation of what was about to happen and because she'd taken his glasses off, it was another picture which made it that much more personal.

Clark wondered why there was only one copy, but then realized that Jimmy had probably meant it for the both of them. And Mr. White called him_self_ a matchmaker.

He slipped the photographs back into the envelope, sealed it and set it down on his desk. He shrugged into his overcoat and put his hat on before he picked up the envelope again and headed toward the elevator.

Three o'clock couldn't come fast enough.

oooooo

He had been shown into the study and told that Lana would be in to see him shortly.

Clark checked his watch, again because it was now forty-five minutes later and she had yet to make an appearance. She was the only girl he knew that made an art form out of keeping a man waiting. Why couldn't she be more like his mother or Lois for that matter?

Lois always seemed to be ready ten minutes before anyone else and then would pace impatiently while she waited for him or his parents. He suspected that was a result of growing up on a strict schedule. How else could a widowed father, who also happened to be an Army officer manage two daughters without their mother?

He stood up impatiently, checked his watch again and still no Lana. He was sorely tempted to leave because he was tired of waiting, but needed to take care of the situation once and for all. He needed to be free and clear of her if he was going to allow himself to consider anything concerning Lois. Though, there _was_ still the small matter of his being an FBI agent and her being his witness.

He began to pace.

And as he paced he looked around the room and couldn't help but notice that it was decorated for Christmas. But to his eye, it looked as though someone had come in and done it professionally, instead of Lana doing the honors. Of course she _may_ have done it herself, but there was just something so impersonal about the way it all looked.

Everything just looked too perfect.

Lois had helped him and his parents decorate _their_ house and he could see how much she enjoyed it, how much it meant to her. As they ran the garland around the handrails of the staircases and hung the pine swags across the doorways, Mom talked to Lois about her first Christmas on the farm. She remembered how she helped Jonathan's mother, much in the way Lois was assisting _her_ and how it made her feel such a part of his family.

The situation wasn't the same, but Mom and Dad had tried to make Lois feel a part of _their_ family traditions and perhaps take her mind off why she was there, if only for a little while.

"Come to apologize?" Lana's sudden appearance interrupted his musings and Clark tried not to sigh at her less than dulcet tone. She'd kept him waiting nearly an hour and _she _had the nerve to sound annoyed?

He turned to face her, not letting on how irritated he was. "I have nothing to apologize for."

She seemed to sense that her tactic to make him feel guilty wasn't going to work so she smiled beguilingly and approached him. "It doesn't matter anyway because you're here. That's all I care about."

"Lana I've been here for almost an hour." He stepped back when she tried to put her arms around him. "And I don't have time to sit around and cool my heels while you make me wait."

"You're awfully cross this afternoon." She tried to soothe him and all it did was fuel his irritation. "I just wanted to look perfect for you."

"What would have been perfect was for you to have been down here forty-five minutes ago." He gave her a pointed look. "I don't have the kind of schedule that you do."

"Are you telling me that I'm lazy?"

She seemed to sense, rightly, that she wasn't going to be able to charm him this time and was spoiling for a fight. She could try her best, but he wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of getting pulled into it. "I'm telling you that I have a lot going on right now and I don't have time to waste."

"And you still aren't going to tell me what that is, are you?" She folded her arms across her chest. "You've been keeping things from me when I have the right to know."

"Why is _that_?" She was fishing again to try and find out what had brought him back to Smallville nearly two months before; but he wasn't about to tell her his reason for being home or why she'd seen him at the hotel. He might have been swayed by her pretty face to get him into her bed, but that didn't mean he trusted her.

She _was _married to Lex Luthor after all.

"Because of what we mean to each other, that's why." She stepped closer to him and again he backed away.

"What exactly _do_ we mean to each other?" He asked her. "How much can I mean to you if you're satisfied with the way things are?"

"I never said I was satisfied. But this is the best I can do until I'm free of Lex." She frowned and Clark couldn't help but think that she looked like a child.

"And when is that going to be?" He stood his ground. "You've never mentioned anything about a divorce before. All you've done is tell me how unhappy you are and how unhappy he makes you. Well you know what? You made the choice to marry him, even if it turned out to be a bad choice."

"I _had_ to." It was her turn to step back and for a moment Clark felt sorry for her. But she'd still made the choice to be with Lex and found herself in the family way. Or at least she _had_ been. "I miscarried a month after we were married and I haven't let him into my bed since." She answered his unasked question about the child and then she smiled. "You're the only man I've been with."

_Terrific. _

"You're the only man I _want_ to be with." She put her hand on his arm and when he pulled it away reflexively, she frowned.

"You say that you want me, but you're staying in a situation that makes you unhappy." He tried to reason with her. "I've never been happy with our situation and frankly I don't want to be a part of it anymore."

"What are you saying?" He could see by her shocked expression that she hadn't expected it and she began to pace.

"Just what you think I'm saying."

"Knowing how unhappy I am, knowing how much that I need you and you're going to leave me?" She was working herself up into a fit of tears, but it wasn't going to work.

"You're not mine to leave." He said simply.

"It's because of _her_, isn't it?" And there it was. Lana saw Lois as a threat to their illicit relationship and she was going to do what she could to change the outcome. "It's because of _her_."

She was partly right, but Clark wasn't about to tell her that. He wasn't breaking things off with her _because_ of Lois, but she was the catalyst to ending something that had never made him happy. "Lana."

"You're sleeping with her, aren't you?" The accusation was a surprise, though it really shouldn't have been and he nearly rolled his eyes at the irony of her statement. "You haven't been to see me for nearly three weeks and then you turn up at the _Regent Hotel _with _her_. You talked to her as though she meant something to you and let Lex think that you were a couple. Do you have any idea how much that hurt?"

"Do you have any idea how much this situation has hurt my parents? They expected better from me and you know what, so did I."

"You _are_ sleeping with her!" She whirled around in anger and grabbed the first thing she could lay her hands on, turned back to face him and threw it. An ashtray came flying at him and he ducked as it sailed over his head and shattered from the impact of hitting the nearby wall. "_That's_ why you were all over her!"

He didn't respond because Lois wasn't any of her business.

"Aren't you going to say something? Aren't you going to explain why you were there, with _her_?" She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips and Clark couldn't help but think how much more effective it was when Lois did it.

"No." Was his short answer.

"Get out." She pointed toward the door with more drama than the scene deserved and he wondered if she weren't deliberately playing it out that way; perhaps to shame him into apologizing and begging her forgiveness?

What he saw was the opportunity to get the hell out of there. So he picked his hat up from the bar and walked toward the door. "Goodbye Lana."

"You won't get another chance." She warned him. "If you walk out that door, that's it. I won't give you a second chance!"

And his answer to that was to walk out the door and close it behind him.


	19. Lois's Return

They had reached the turnoff to the Kent's farm when Lois felt the flutter of nervous butterflies.

_She shouldn't be here. _

She shouldn't have let her father talk her into this. She should have insisted that he take her back to Fort Ryan until Clark said it was all right to come back. She should have insisted he take her back to Fort Ryan, period. And let her stay put, permanently.

"It's going to be fine, Lo." Her father tried to reassure her after he turned up the drive, because he seemed to sense her nervousness as they approached the farmhouse and the front door opened.

She saw the Kent's step out on the porch as the General brought the car to a stop and the curious look on Mrs. Kent's face was replaced with a smile when she spotted Lois in the passenger seat.

"You go ahead, I'll get your suitcase." He encouraged her. "You're doing the right thing."

And she gave him a weak smile; it was the best she could do. "As if you gave me a choice."

"If you really didn't want to come back, you would have fought me tooth and nail on it." He smiled. "And I probably would have given in."

"Dad, you never gave in to us when we were growing up; why would you do it now?"

"I gave in more than you realize missy." He raised an eyebrow at her. "So out of the car and go say hello to the Kent's."

"Yes sir."

He glanced through the windshield before he looked back at her. "They look happy to see you."

"At least _they _do."

"Stop stalling." He leaned over and opened the door. "And don't worry about young Kent right now."

Lois sighed and then nodded before she stepped out of the car. The last time she'd gotten out of a car and saw the Kent's standing on the porch was after Clark brought her out to stay. It was obviously so different because this time she couldn't help but feel that she was coming home.

And that scared her.

She met them half way up the walk and Mrs. Kent put her arms around her. "I'm glad you're back."

Lois returned the hug of the older woman and didn't know what to say.

"It's going to be all right." She seemed to understand Lois' apprehension. "Clark told us what happened and why he moved you to your fathers."

"And Dad seems to think that I need to be here, so here I am." She tried to smile but couldn't quite do it.

"What do _you _think?" Mrs. Kent asked as she put a hand on Lois' cheek.

"I don't know."

And then Clark's mother smiled. "Oh honey, I think you do."

Lois frowned in confusion but before she could say anything, she heard her father behind her and the sound of her suitcase as he set it down. "Mr. and Mrs. Kent this is my father, General Sam Lane."

"General, it's very nice to meet you." Mr. Kent put out his hand and the men shook.

"Call me Sam, please." He requested and Lois looked back at him in surprise. _Would wonders never cease? _"Lo's had nothing but good things to say about the both of you and I appreciate that you've looked after her the way you have."

"It's been our pleasure; Lois has been a breath of fresh air." Mrs. Kent smiled and took Lois' hand for a moment before she extended that hand to her father. "And it's Jonathan and Martha."

"Would you like to come in?" Mr. Kent asked as Lois' father picked up her suitcase. "Martha just made some fresh coffee."

She could sense his hesitation, just before he accepted. "Thank you. A cup of hot coffee would hit the spot on a cold day like this."

"Then let me take that suitcase while you and Lois warm up by the fire." Mr. Kent reached for it, but Lois pulled it out of her father's hand instead.

"I'll take it off your hands, Dad." She didn't wait around for a debate as she walked into the house and headed up the stairs. There was something that felt just a little too domestic about her father meeting Clark's parents and not only were the butterflies in her stomach starting to flutter again, but her heart was fluttering, too.

_She shouldn't be here._

When she reached the bedroom, Lois put her suitcase down on the bed. She took her coat off and dropped it next to the suitcase before she began to pace around the small room. She'd only been gone for a few days, but it felt much longer than that to her as her father had driven up to the house. There was the odd feeling that the room should look different, but it looked just as it had when she'd packed.

She walked to the window as snow began to fall again and it occurred to her that Christmas Eve was a day away. _And what do you want Santa to bring _you_, little Lo? _

Lois didn't know how long she stood there watching the gentle shower of white flakes before she realized that there was someone in the doorway.

_I want an FBI agent who's tall, handsome and has the bluest eyes I've ever seen._

"What are you doing here?" She hadn't heard him come up the stairs and the displeasure in his voice was unmistakable.

She turned around and felt her face flush. _Damn! _"Gee. No 'Hello Lois, how are you?'"

"Hello Lois, how are you?" He was leaning against the doorjamb with his hat and coat still on, a light dusting of snow on the brim and shoulders. "What are you doing here? I told you that I would come get you when the coast was clear."

"You'll need to take that up with the General." She turned back around and opened her suitcase. "He felt that there was a need to change the plan of operation and that meant returning your witness to the original objective."

"Would you care to translate that for me?"

"He decided to bring me back because he thinks we're both stubborn and that we need to deal with the nature of our relationship."

"And what relationship would that be?" His voice was soft as she heard him move and sensed his approach.

"What _other_ relationship would there be between us? You're an FBI agent and I'm a singer, currently being squirreled away as a witness. But for some reason, my dad seems to think there's more to it than that."

"What do _you_ think?"

"I don't know."

"If it makes you feel any better; I'm not sure I know either." He replied and then she felt his hands on her shoulders.

"That doesn't make me feel better." She sighed. "It just means that something is there that we don't want to look at."

"I have to take care of this investigation first." She felt the movement as he shrugged. "My focus _has_ to be on that before anything else."

"I know." And she sighed again.

"I really shouldn't be, but I am glad you're back." He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze before he let her go and then he was gone.

_That makes _one_ of us. _Lois couldn't help but think.

She took her time unpacking and put her belongings back in the dresser drawers that Clark had set aside for her when he brought her out to the farm. He'd left them empty and Lois felt her face warm at the idea.

On top of the dresser she placed her hair pins, fingernail polish, lipstick, rouge, foundation, hairbrush and comb back along side _his_ hairbrush, comb, loose change and his grandfather's pocket watch that Mr. Kent had given him when he graduated from Central Kansas.

_It was all too cozy._

Next, she put her dresses, slacks and blouses in the closet, to hang alongside his suit jackets and pants, dress shirts and a couple of worn plaid flannel shirts. On weekends, he would always wear one of them with a pair of dungarees. It made him feel more at home he'd told her, the first time she'd made a wise crack about his casual attire.

When she'd finished taking her room back and putting her suitcase back in the closet, next to his, she pulled the hatpins out of her hat and took it off. As she was sticking the pins in the crown, she noticed a manila envelope on Clark's desk.

She hadn't seen it before and it puzzled her to see that it had both of their names on it and wondered if he hadn't left it there for her to see.

Lois picked it up off of the desk and after she sat down on the edge of the bed, opened it. She pulled out two photographs and one had a note on it indicating that it was meant for her. It was from the evening at the _Regent_ and Clark was walking her to the dance floor.

It had to be about the time that she'd admonished him not to step on her toes. But what stood out was how comfortable they both looked with her hand tucked in close to him. It was as though they'd been doing it for months, not a couple of weeks. And it wasn't lost on her that he wasn't wearing his glasses and she could see how handsome he really was.

The other photograph was taken just before he kissed her in the alcove.

_That Jimmy Olsen was a pretty sneaky kid._

Clark wasn't wearing his glasses in the second picture either, because Lois had just taken them off. She did that because if the inevitable was going to happen, she wanted to look into the face of the Fed she knew, not the reporter she didn't.

It was silly because they were one in the same and she knew it.

"Lois honey, are you coming down soon? It's a lot warmer down in the parlor." Mrs. Kent pulled her sweater close, as Lois looked up, surprised to see her standing there.

"I'm coming." She replied and slipped the photographs back into the envelope and left it on the bed. She stood up, picked up her hat and coat and followed Clark's mother down the stairs. She hung them up on the coat rack and when she walked into the parlor, she saw her father standing by the fireplace, lighting one of his cigars.

Mrs. Kent had taken a seat next to Clark's father on the sofa and Clark was sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs.

"Martha, those apple turnovers were outstanding; they could rival my Ellen's." He said as he shook the match to extinguish it and then tossed it into the fireplace. "Unfortunately, Lois is a little young to remember them."

Mrs. Kent glanced back at Lois and smiled. "Well given time, she can learn how to make them."

"She made me a fine dinner last night, so I have no doubt that she can." He smiled at her as he took a puff on his stogie.

"Dad." Lois shook her head to admonish him and it made him smile all the more.

"Don't be bashful, now. You did a very nice job and shouldn't be embarrassed."

"Well now that she's back, maybe Lois can cook for _us_." Mrs. Kent added. "Sam, if you'd like to join us tomorrow night, I think Christmas Eve dinner would be good practice for Lois."

"I think that's a bang up idea, don't you Lo?" Her father was challenging her, knowing his daughter would take him up on it.

_Were they kidding?_

She looked at Clark; not really knowing why and he just shrugged.

"Dinner for five?" The idea of it nearly overwhelmed her, which Mrs. Kent seemed to notice and reached for Lois' hand.

"Honey, it'll be fine." She soothed. "We can find some recipes that aren't too complicated and won't have you in the kitchen all day."

_Great!_

The familial scene that was being played out in front of her was becoming too much. "I'm going for a walk." She made the sudden announcement and turned for the front door.

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Mr. Kent voiced his concern. "It's really coming down out there."

"I'll go with her, Dad." Clark stood up and walked toward her. Lois had to make a concerted effort not to roll her eyes and her father ducked his head to hide a smile as he took another puff on his cigar.

"Don't get lost in a snowdrift." He advised.

"Thanks, Dad. I'll try to remember that." Lois frowned and walked back out of the parlor. She got her wool scarf from the coat rack and covered her head before winding it around her neck. She reached for her coat, but Clark already had it in his hands, waiting for her.

She slipped her arms through the sleeves and buttoned up the front. As she put her gloves on, he wrapped his own scarf around his neck before putting his coat on. He put his hat on as he opened the front door and waited for her to precede him.

Her breath came out in a white cloud as she stood on the porch and waited for him to close the door. He reached for her hand to tuck it into his elbow, but with the memory of the pictures fresh in her mind, she pulled her fingers away from his grasp.

"I take it you found the envelope." He asked as his own breath came out in a cloud and she was glad she hadn't taken her snow shoes off as they walked into the falling snow.

"You put it where you knew I'd find it." She replied.

"That would explain why you didn't let me take your hand."

_The whole thing was just so confusing._

"Is that how we look to people, to our parents?" She looked up at him and his troubled look mirrored how she felt.

"I was thinking the same thing when _I_ saw them." He jammed his hands in his coat pockets. "It _could_ explain why your dad brought you back."

Maybe it was because of the fresh snow, but the warning itch in her nose Lois usually got at the approach of an overly affectionate golden retriever didn't materialize before Shelby suddenly came running from around the side of the house.

He skidded in the snow as he came to a stop next to her and then she sneezed.

"This day just keeps getting better and better." She huffed as Shelby barked and Clark laughed.

"Face it Lois, Shelby likes you and there isn't anything you can do about it." It was the first time she saw him smile since he stood in the doorway of the bedroom and again was struck with how handsome he was.

And almost in resignation, she tucked her hand through his elbow and he pulled it against his body as they began to walk again.

"I have something interesting to tell you." He said to her. "It's about our evening at the _Regent_."

"If you're going to tell me that Jimmy Olsen took those pictures, that wasn't too hard to figure out."

"That isn't what I was going to say." He scolded her gently. "Perry White set us up."

She stepped away from him and stopped, nearly tripping on Shelby. Clark grabbed her arm to keep her from falling and then when she was steady, let her go. "The editor of the _Daily Planet_, the man who knows that we're not really dating set us up. How?"

"The last minute assignment to review the Glenn Miller show was a favor he called in." He explained. "The first time you came to the _Planet_, he saw us together and seemed to get the idea that we have chemistry."

"Chemistry?" _Did they?_

"That's what _he_ said. So he told the music editor that he was calling in his favor and wanted Glenn Miller, figuring that you'd want to see him."

"What did he think was going to happen?" _Stupid question, Lois._

"Just exactly what happened." She saw his face flush. "And Jimmy was there to record it for posterity."

"We're a couple of dopes; you do know that." Lois stated the obvious. "We got suckered into something we never saw coming."

"I think that was the general idea." He looked at her before he took her hand again and secured it before they continued to walk.

"If you keep doing that, you're only giving him ammunition. And my dad, and your parents." She added. "So what was this favor he called in, anyway?"

Clark looked confused for a moment until he seemed to understand where she was going. "All of the critics came down with the flu a couple of years ago and Mr. White loaned the editor three of his reporters. The music editor told him to call on him for a favor when he needed it and _we_ were the reason he called it in."

"He did that for us?" She frowned in thought.

"He did."

Lois didn't know what to say to that.

"Are you all right? I know it was a lot for _me_ to take in." He sounded concerned and she laid her cheek on his sleeve.

"I'm just having a hard time grasping how fast things are moving." She sighed. "So much has happened in two weeks."

"I know. It's pretty confusing for me too." He admitted. "But until I finish my investigation, this is as fast as it can go."

"That's all right. It'll give me time to catch my breath."

"There's something else I think you should know, too." And Clark stopped again. "The picture worked."

Lois stepped away from him, again and it was her turn to be confused. "What are you talking about?" But it quickly dawned on her what he meant, so she answered her own question. "Chloe Sullivan."

He nodded. "She said that it looked like you really cared about me and I told her that I cared about you too. She wished me luck, shook my hand and that was it."

_Did he tell her that just to waive her off? _"Do you?"

Clark understood her perfectly this time and nodded again. "You know I do."

_Of course she knew. _And when she glanced up at him there was a look in his eyes that told her that he was contemplating something, then thought better of it.

"I know you care about Shelby too. You just can't admit it." His gentle smile eased them out of what could have been an awkward moment and Shelby barked.

_How did that mutt know what Clark was saying?_

"I don't know about you, but my feet are cold and I could really use some hot cocoa right about now. How about you?"

"I like that idea." And she leaned up and kissed his cheek.

His surprise was evident as his face flushed. "What was that for?"

"Because it's all I can give you right now." And took his arm as he turned them back toward the house.

He kissed her cheek in return and she felt her own face flush. "What was _that _for?"

"I'll take what I can get." He answered her as they reached the porch.

He opened the front door and Lois let go of his arm as he waited for her and Shelby to walk in ahead of him, then closed it behind them.

And then Lois sneezed.

"_Shelby!" _


	20. Wake Up Call

If he thought the sofa was uncomfortable, the old army cot in his father's office made him appreciate the lumpy cushions he'd been subjected to for the last two weeks. Mom had amended her invitation to the General and asked him to stay on at the farm through Christmas Day, after he'd brought Lois back instead of returning Christmas Eve. Because of that, Clark had been relegated to a cot so _he_ could have the sofa.

After he'd accepted his mother's invitation, General Lane told her that he needed to return to Fort Ryan for a few hours, but would be back in time for dinner.

It was the oddest evening for him and for Lois too, it seemed as their parent's got to know each other and Lois's father regaled the Kent's with the adventures of his oldest daughter. It felt as though the courting process had begun, even though he wasn't doing any courting.

And because he wasn't, his parents and her father seemed to take matters into their own hands.

If that weren't bad enough, he soon discovered after he'd showered and gotten dressed that early Christmas Eve morning that he needed to get into his room.

How he could remember his suit and shoes, but forget his socks was beyond him. He wondered though, as he slowly opened his bedroom door, if maybe it wasn't subconscious on his part as he saw Lois sleeping in his bed.

Clark closed the door softly behind him, leaned back against it and folded his arms across his chest. He didn't know how long he stood there and watched her, when she took a deep breath and he started as she rolled over on to her back. He thought for a moment that she had wakened and didn't know how he could explain his presence to her.

Would she believe him when he told her that he'd forgotten his socks?

But when she didn't rouse he relaxed and unfolded his arms as he pushed himself away from the door, only to walk over to the bed when he should have gone straight to the dresser. He carefully sat down on the edge so he wouldn't wake her and reached up to brush a lock of hair back from her face.

Lois' eyes opened slowly and while Clark knew he should feel embarrassed for getting caught, he didn't. "You think that's such a good idea?" Her voice was husky from sleep and the soft sound of it sent goose bumps skittering up his arms. "My dad's downstairs and your parents are down the hall."

"I know." He nodded as he took in the sleepy image of Lois and wondered what it would be like to wake up with her.

"You have an investigation to finish." She reminded him as her arms came out from under the blankets.

"I know that too." He nodded as he leaned down, wanting something he shouldn't.

"Then why did you do it?" She put a hand on his chest to stop his descent and he sighed before he sat up. The look she gave him told him she knew what he was feeling and brushed her fingers through his damp hair.

"Why did you do _that_?" He asked her.

She answered him with a sleepy smile and then ran a gentle hand down his unshaven cheek. "You'd better get whatever it is you came in here for before my dad catches you. He likes you, but even the General has his limits."

Clark was pushing his luck, but he couldn't seem to help it when he grasped her hand and turned his face into her palm to kiss the soft skin. He smiled as her fingers curled into his cheek and she sighed.

"What are you doing?" Her breathless question caused unfamiliar warmth to spread across his chest and he wasn't ready to contemplate what it might mean.

"I'd think it would be fairly obvious." He admitted with a grin and he was rewarded with a light flush that spread across Lois' cheeks.

"Clark." It was a plea for him to cease and desist and he reluctantly did as she asked.

"I know." He nodded and let go of her hand.

"It just makes things more difficult." She brushed soft fingers across his cheek again, making things more difficult herself.

He nodded again. "I know that too."

"You keep saying that and yet you're still here." She scolded him as she lowered her hand to the bed.

"I know." He laughed softly as she rolled her eyes because he knew that it probably wouldn't be the time to tell her that he often said things to her just so she would do that.

Lois took him by surprise, though when she grasped the ends of his loose tie and pulled him down toward her. "I know this isn't what you came in for, but it seems that you're not going to leave until you get it."

"Lois." He should have known that she would turn the tables on him with his inadvertent challenge and chastised himself for putting them both in an untenable situation.

"Just remember that _you_ started this." She absolved herself for what was about to happen as one good tug caught him unawares and her lips found his... cheek?

It certainly wasn't what he expected as his hands came down on the mattress to break his sudden tumble forward. But she demonstrated quite clearly that it wasn't intended to be a chaste peck when her nose brushed his cheek, followed by her lips. And the friction that her softness and warm breath caused against the stubble sent his heart into double time. She then brushed his ear before zeroing in on a spot, just underneath, which made him catch his breath.

She never actually kissed the sensitive spot he didn't know he had, until _she_ found it, but merely brushed her lips against it until he felt his face burn with a flush.

Hell, his whole _body_ was flushed.

Clark heard her soft laugh as her warm breath teased his ear. "I just found out where someone's _really_ sensitive."

"Will I get that same chance?" He smiled at her as he sat up and his heart constricted at the sight of her hair splayed out over his pillow, with her flushed cheeks that made his own warm further.

_She was beautiful; and she was in his bed. _

"If you've been a good boy this year, maybe Santa will let you find out." In the short time that they'd known each other, he'd never seen her look so happy. "It _is_ Christmas Eve, after all."

"Speaking of which. I have a Christmas present for you, but it's going to have to wait until I get home." He started to get up from the bed but Lois grabbed his arm to stop him.

"You just can't say something like that and leave." He could see the anticipation of what a young Lois must have felt while she waited for Christmas morning to open her presents. "What is it?"

He laughed softly. "If I tell you it wouldn't be much of a present, would it?"

"Please." She grabbed the ends of his tie again and smiled sweetly. "I've been a really good girl this year."

"Uh-huh." He grinned again. "And your point is?"

"Tell me or I'll make sure that our parent's find you in here." She quirked an eyebrow at him. "And don' t think that I won't."

"That's blackmail."

"I know." She shrugged.

"Do you know what the penalty _is_ for blackmailing a federal agent?"

"Tell me Agent Kent, what is it?" She dared him.

"I think I'd rather show you." And he gave in to the urge that had brought him to the bed in the first place when he leaned over and kissed her. She must have been anticipating it because she answered his gentle caress as soon as their lips met and then challenged him to deepen it.

She was testing his resolve, of that he had no doubt. But before he could figure out how strong it was, she loosened her hold on his tie.

"So what happens if I do something _worse_ than blackmail?" She was smiling again and his eyes were helplessly drawn to her damp lips.

"I'd show you, but it's classified." He loved playing this game with her.

"Classified?" Her eyebrow went up again.

"That's what I said, classified." He tried to look serious, but didn't know how successful he was and she sighed.

"Fair enough. So what about my present?"

_Just tell her Clark._

"If you thought you saw an outraged father at the _Regent_, you'll _really_ see him in about two minutes if you don't give me my present." She challenged. "So give."

"I broke things off with Lana yesterday afternoon."

Dad always said that the direct approach was the best approach, but it was something she obviously wasn't expecting because she was stunned silent.

"She threw an ashtray at me." He added and wondered why she wasn't saying anything. "She thinks we're sleeping together."

And then her cheeks turned crimson. "She saw you kiss me, didn't she?"

He nodded. "You know Lex made sure that she would. Which means she saw you kiss me back."

"And from that she drew the conclusion that we're sleeping together."

He nodded again.

"Dad asked me about that." She revealed to him and it was Clark's turn to be surprised. "He doesn't believe we are, but wanted to hear it from me to confirm it."

He then got a sudden and _very_ vivid image of them, _together_ that got him up off the bed and he made a beeline for his dresser. He pulled open a drawer, grabbed a pair of socks and headed for the door.

"Would it be so bad?" Her soft voice sounded hurt and he realized that she must have misinterpreted his haste in putting distance between the two of them. "Would making love with me be so awful?"

And from the sound of her voice, she was on the verge of tears.

_Clark, you're an idiot!_

Clark turned around and walked back to the bed. He sat down and took her trembling hands in his, rubbing the backs reassuringly with his thumbs. "That isn't why I got up." _Tread lightly, Kent. _

"Is it because you wouldn't be my first?" She looked up at him and tears brimmed her eyes. But just as quickly she seemed to understand how it must have sounded and closed her eyes in embarrassment. "I didn't mean it that way."

"Lois, if that's where all of this eventually leads to, then I'd have to honestly say that I think it would be incredible." He told her as he kept a hold on her hands and she opened her eyes.

"Really?" She was so uncharacteristically unsure and Clark didn't know how to handle this side of her.

"Really." He tried to reassure her. "Now go back to sleep; it's too early for you to be awake."

"I _was _asleep before you came in here." She gave him a watery smile and sounded more like the woman he'd come to know. "You were the one who woke me up."

"Are you complaining?"

She shook her head. "I should be, considering that I'm not a morning person."

"I shouldn't have done it because you were right about my making it more difficult. But it seems that when it comes to you, I can't seem to help myself." He admitted with a smile. "That's never happened to me before."

"How do you feel about that?" She asked him.

"Scared." He told her honestly.

She nodded in understanding as she slipped her hands out of his and took hold of his tie again. "But you really need to get out of here before I forget myself and ravish you."

Clark smiled at her as his face warmed. "Or before I ravish you?"

"Whatever." Lois smiled back and let him go.

"I won't at the _Planet_ for too long. Barring any breaking war news, Mr. White is sending us all home early." He told her as he stood up.

"You could always call in sick." She laughed softly.

He shook his head. "He gave me a half-day yesterday, so I really need to go in."

"All right." She said as he turned toward the door and picked up his socks from the dresser. He just got his hand on the doorknob when he heard Lois call him and there was a sultry tone to it he'd never heard before.

_This couldn't be good._

When he turned toward the sound of her voice, she was standing next to the bed in a sleeveless nightdress that fit her in a way that didn't leave much to the imagination. She'd been sleeping in things like that for the last couple of weeks and his face burned at the very idea.

"Lois, what are you doing?" He stood there, astounded by how beautiful she really was and was torn between taking her back to the bed and finding out how incredible _it_ could be or running like a scared rabbit. He did neither as the beat of his heart accelerated at an alarming rate.

"Just showing you what you're leaving behind, so you'll hurry home." She smiled as she walked slowly toward him, the clingy nightdress moving with all of her curves. He didn't realize he'd backed away from her until he felt the door behind him and Lois was still advancing as he tried to swallow the knot that had lodged in his throat.

_Oh, hell. _

When she finally stopped in front of him, she made the point of making sure that her body came in as much contact with his as possible as she put her arms around his neck. And without a thought as to what he was doing, he put his hands on her waist.

"You don't play fair." He lamented with a sigh, hoping that he wouldn't embarrass himself.

"Says you, seeing as how you started this whole thing when you came in here." Then she started to laugh. "And I just finished it." She smiled as she pushed herself up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss on his cheek. She then turned back toward the bed and as she got in, she continued to laugh. "You're so easy."

As he listened to her gentle laughter coming from under the blankets, he knew without a doubt that she'd just gotten him back for waking her up and discovered that he was losing his heart, as well.

oooooo

By the time he finished getting dressed and got downstairs, General Lane was at the kitchen table with his mother and father. They were already having breakfast and Mom told him to fill his plate and sit down.

He sat down next to the General and as he started to eat, saw looks pass between his parents and Lois' father. It looked as though they were trying to hide smiles and Clark wondered if they suspected why he was the early morning straggler. "Mr. White called and said that you don't need to come in if you don't want to. He knows you're trying to work on the investigation and with it being Christmas Eve, he thought you would like to be at home with your family." His mother told him as he took a sip of his coffee.

"He did?" That was all he needed, to be stuck in the house with a woman who had the ability to nearly make him forget himself. And she didn't even know it.

"Lois!" His mother's voice sounded surprised as the object of his thoughts walked into the kitchen, wrapped chastely in a chenille robe and wearing a pair of fuzzy slippers.

She took the circuitous route to the coffee pot on the stove as she walked behind Clark and ran a single warm finger across the back of his neck, sending a shock wave down his spine and he felt his face warm.

Apparently, she wasn't done exacting her revenge yet.

"Lo, you're not exactly an early riser. What's the occasion?" The General suddenly coughed and with both of his parent's deciding to sip their coffee at the same time, Clark figured they were all trying to keep from laughing. At his expense.

"It's Christmas Eve, Daddy. Why else would I be up?" She smiled at her father and then raised an eyebrow at Clark as she walked to the table with her cup of coffee.

Well, he did start the whole damn thing when he woke her up.

Lois approached him and as he looked up at her, she had a look in her eye that made him nervous. _What was she up to? _He found out rather quickly when she moved his arm so she could sit in his lap and put her cup down on the table. She picked up his fork, speared some scrambled eggs and put them in her mouth. "These are really good, Mrs. Kent."

"Would you like me to get you a plate, honey?" Clark's mother was trying to keep a straight face and having a difficult time doing it.

"No thank you, I'm not hungry." She smiled innocently and put another forkful of eggs in her mouth as she put her free hand around Clark's neck and began to toy with his hair.

"Then why are you eating _my_ eggs?" His voice cracked in frustration as his body did the unthinkable and finally betrayed him.

He wouldn't have had any idea that she was even aware of it until he saw her face color with a deep flush and she tried not to smile. And when she finally looked into his eyes he thought for a moment that she was going to kiss him, right there in front of their parents. But she chose to bicker with him instead. "Because _you_ aren't eating them. Haven't you heard about all those poor starving kids in China?"

"What about poor starving _Clark_?" To his embarrassment, his voice cracked again but he couldn't look away from her soft gray eyes. He knew he had to get the hell out of there soon, if _she _didn't.

"What's the matter, G-Man? Didn't your parents teach you how to share?" She smiled and kept eating.

_G-Man? _He couldn't remember the last time she'd called him that.

"I _can _share Lois. I'm just not accustomed to sharing my breakfast." _God, he wanted to kiss her._

"But you _are_ sharing your bedroom with me. And that bed _is_ awfully comfortable." She smiled knowingly at him so he would understand that she'd been aware of what he was thinking upstairs.

"_Lo_." General Lane sent a warning shot across Lois' bow, to let her know that she was overdoing it; but didn't say anything else.

"Well there's a hot shower upstairs with my name on it, so if you'll excuse me." She stood up and leaned over to kiss his cheek before she got her cup from the table. "Have a good day."

And she was gone.

"I'm going to work." Clark made the only decision he could. He stood up, grabbed his suit jacket from the back of his chair, nearly knocking it over as he hurried into the parlor and headed for the front door. "I'll be back later."

"You didn't finish your breakfast." His mother called after him as he put his jacket on. There was a lilt in her voice and she must have really been struggling not to laugh.

"Give it to Lois." He thrust his arms into the sleeves of his coat and jammed his hat on his head. After yanking open the door and stepping outside, he pulled it firmly closed behind him and stood on the porch.

_What in the hell just happened? _

He took several deep breaths of the cold air before he stepped off of the porch and walked to his car. He really shouldn't have been driving because even though gasoline wasn't being rationed as of yet, driving _was _being discouraged in favor of public transportation. That's why he usually took the train.

But he needed to keep his mind on something other than what happened that morning and traveling on a commuter would give him too much time to relive it.

Movement in an upstairs window caught his attention and he looked up as he opened his car door. He saw Lois standing at his bedroom window, her hands resting on the sash and all of her bravado was gone. He couldn't help but think that her plan had backfired on her and she was feeling the same intense frustration she'd inflicted on _him_.

She confirmed it when she opened the window for a moment and called softly to him. "I'm sorry."

He smiled at her and had to curb the urge to laugh. "It's all right Lois, I asked for it."

Lois smiled at him in relief and then she _did _laugh because she probably agreed with him. She closed the window and continued to watch with a soft smile on her face as he got into the car and started the engine. He raised a hand of farewell to her, which she answered before he turned the car around and headed down the road.

_Merry Christmas, Lois. _


	21. Unintended Consequences

She stood at the parlor window and watched her son drive away.

Martha had followed behind him as he left in such a hurry and waited for him to walk to his car. She expected him to get in and leave as quickly as possible but after he'd opened his door, looked up in the direction of his bedroom.

Lois must have gotten his attention because after a moment he smiled and then said something. Martha had never seen him smile in quite that way and would wager that his feelings for the woman upstairs were a lot stronger than he was willing to admit.

She'd also wager that Lois' feelings for him were just as strong. Only a woman who wanted to get a certain man's attention would pull out all the stops as she had, even if she didn't realize it. It made Martha curious as to what happened upstairs because it _had_ to be the catalyst for Lois' frisky behavior that got Clark so flustered.

_Oh Martha, your son was _much _more than flustered. _

"I think cold showers are going to be the order of the day for awhile." Sam Lane observed dryly from his seat at the kitchen table and when she turned from the window, he added with a smile. "No thanks in small part to my daughter."

"Would it be awful of me to say that I really enjoyed watching that?" She finally allowed herself to laugh as she walked back to the kitchen.

"I don't think I've ever seen Clark so unsettled." Jonathan grinned. "No other girl I know has ever been able to do that to him."

"That's because he never met a Lane before." Sam shrugged. "When we want something, we go after it. Though Lois probably doesn't realize that's what she was doing."

Then suddenly it wasn't so funny and Martha worried. "You don't suppose that they."

"From what I've seen between those two, they might be thinking about it; though they'd never admit to it." Sam shook his head. "They mean too much to each other for just a quick tumble."

"Oh, dear." She felt her face flush in embarrassment.

"My apologies Martha." She was surprised to see _his_ face color. "Ellen didn't have the time she needed to smooth out all of my rough edges, as she called them. My bluntness was something that gave her fits and unfortunately, Lois inherited that from me."

"When it comes to Clark, bluntness is what he needs sometimes." Jonathan commented. "And Lois seems to be the only one who can get through to him."

"She got through to him all right." Martha felt the urge to laugh again and smiled at her husband.

"Which is why we need to do something about those two, since they won't." Sam declared. "In spite of whatever it was that happened between them, it tells me that we _can_ leave them alone."

"What are you suggesting?" Jonathan looked at him curiously. "Leaving them alone _tonight_?"

"We already know nothing will happen, so why not?" He shrugged. "They have to start talking about this at some point."

"Jonathan, why don't we go ahead to the Hubbard's tonight?" She thought she understood what Lois' father was getting at. "We cancelled yesterday when we invited Sam to stay. He can come with us and Lois can make dinner for two instead of five."

"She _was_ pretty nervous about cooking for so many people." He smiled, as he seemed to realize where his wife's thinking was going.

"And if we're going to do it up right, we really should bring out your mother's lace tablecloth."

"We could. But you do realize that if they get wind of this they'll never go for it." Jonathan advised. "Between the three of us, we've got two smart kids and they'll recognize a set up."

Martha shrugged. "Then we'll just have to make sure that they don't see it until it's too late."

"Martha Kent, I had no idea you could be so sneaky." He smiled at her. "No wonder I love you so much."

Her face flushed at his declaration and she kissed his cheek in thanks. "I'm going to check on Lois." She told him before she walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs. She stopped in front of the bathroom door and didn't hear the water running.

She frowned in concern as she walked down the hall to Clark's room and knocked softly on the partially open door. She walked into the room and it was obvious that Lois wasn't there, which meant she was still in the bathroom.

As she turned to leave, she was struck at how her son's room was no longer just his, but _theirs_.

She hadn't really seen it since Clark brought Lois out because she wanted to respect the young woman's privacy. But as she stood in the middle of the room, she saw Lois' clothes hanging alongside his in the closet and her hairbrush and comb next to his, on the dresser.

Even their individual scents mingled together.

Martha recognized the faint aroma of the shaving soap Clark had been using since he was fifteen. She also caught a gentle floral scent and smiled. Lilacs.

It didn't really surprise her.

"_Stupid, stupid, stupid_!" She suddenly heard Lois's voice coming from the bathroom and rushed out of the room. When she reached the closed door, she knocked.

"Honey, are you all right?"

Nothing.

"Lois, I'm going to come in." Martha was hesitant to open the door, but Lois' voice seemed agitated. When she opened it, she expected a rush of steam to escape as always happened when Lois finished her shower and came out of the bathroom.

But there was nothing and the room was cold.

She looked toward the shower bath and it was obvious that she'd been in, but couldn't figure out why it wasn't warmer.

"Lois, you're an _idiot_!" Martha followed the distressed tone and found Lois wrapped in her robe, her hair still wet. She was sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest, arms wrapped around her legs and her head was down. She wasn't wearing her slippers and the linoleum had to have been cold under her feet.

"You're going to catch your death if you stay down there." She rushed over and kneeled down. "Let's get you up, now."

"It didn't help." Lois finally looked up and she was really upset.

"What didn't help?"

"It didn't help and now I'm cold." And tears started to roll down her cheeks.

Martha sat down, gathered Lois in her arms and tried not to laugh. Her plan to frustrate Clark had worked like a charm, but it seemed to have succeeded in frustrating her as well and now she was dealing with the consequences.

She ran a hand up and down Lois' arm to try and warm her as she tried to reach for her slippers. They were out of arms reach, but with a stretch of her leg she caught them one by one with the toe of her shoe and proceeded to put them on the girl's cold feet. She then reached up for a towel from the towel rack and went to work to dry Lois' hair.

_Poor baby. _She'd been so focused on the moment, that she hadn't considered the aftermath of her actions. And Martha began to wonder if leaving the two of them alone for dinner was such a good idea. But if what Lois was feeling was anywhere near what her son was going through, Martha knew that she wouldn't tempt fate like that again.

"Why don't you get up and get dressed?" She suggested. "I'll scramble some more eggs, make fresh coffee and you'll be right as rain. How does that sound?"

"Do they _have_ to be scrambled?" Came the muffled question.

And she smiled. "No honey, they don't need to be scrambled. I'll make them any way you like."

Martha felt Lois take a deep breath and after a subsequent sigh, she finally sat up wiping her eyes with the heels of her hands. "I don't know what I was thinking."

She tucked a lock of Lois' damp hair behind her ear. "And that's why you found yourself in a cold shower, isn't it?"

"Well, _he_ started it." She frowned, not answering the question.

"Lois, you aren't a couple of five year olds." She sighed and continued to rub the towel against Lois' hair. "And it doesn't matter who started what, when all it did was leave the two of you so frustrated.

"Whether you're ready to see it or not, something _is _happening between you and Clark. And as long as the both of you are under the same roof, you can't put each other in situations like this morning."

"He kissed me." And she flushed.

Martha nodded. "I figured as much."

"And I kissed him back." Lois' head went down on her shoulder.

"That's usually how it works." She replied. "When you care for someone, you want to show them and there isn't anything wrong with that. But your situation is so unique because this is something that wasn't supposed to happen."

She felt Lois nod and then hugged her.

"And I'm telling you something you already know, aren't I?"

"Mrs. Kent, please don't tell Dad about this." Her voice was quiet and she sighed again.

"Not if you don't want me to." Martha promised her. "May I ask why?"

"Because he'd worry about me. And he's got more important things on his mind right now than a daughter who didn't think through her battle plan."

_Battle plan? _She _was_ her father's daughter.

"Why did you feel the need to draw _up_ a battle plan?" There _had_ to have been more to what happened between them than a kiss.

"Because he woke me up." She shrugged.

"And other than a kiss, you did nothing to encourage him to stay with you?" The picture was becoming a lot clearer and Martha believed she knew why Clark was late getting downstairs. "Lois?"

"I might have run my fingers through his hair." She sensed that Lois was smiling and that made her smile as well. "And found a sensitive spot he didn't know he had."

_They were a pair._

"And?"

"What makes you think there's an 'and'?" There was a note of humor in her voice and Martha knew that she was starting to feel better.

"Lois." She admonished.

"I might have put my hand on his cheek, a couple of times." Lois paused for a moment. "And grabbed his tie."

"Grabbed his tie." Martha nodded in understanding. "And?"

"And." She took a deep breath and didn't say anymore.

"Just tell me Lois."

"I might have gotten out of bed for a moment." Lois' voice was quiet, seeming to anticipate her disapproval.

That piece of information got Martha to laugh out loud, though she probably shouldn't have. But she could just see the look on her son's face as he got a gander at Lois in a nightdress. He must have been absolutely dumbstruck.

"And _you_ were the one who felt the need to get back at him, for waking you up." She stated.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Lois laughed softly and shrugged her shoulders.

"You really are a breath of fresh air." Martha hugged her again. "I'm so glad Clark brought you here."

"Even with what happened earlier?" Lois looked at her with uncertainty.

"_Especially _with what happened earlier." She smiled. "Come on; let's get up off this cold floor."

They helped each other to stand and Martha was startled at how young Lois looked as they stood together.

_She was still a baby, like her own baby._

She took Lois' hand and led her out of the bathroom and back to Clark's room. "Why don't you get dressed and then come back downstairs. I'll have Jonathan put more wood on the fire and you can sit on the sofa while I get you something to eat."

Lois nodded. "Mrs. Kent?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I overdid it? I mean, I _did_ apologize to him, but do you think he's going to see me differently because of it?" The uncertain look was there again.

"You _were_ rather bold, and in front of your father too." Martha wasn't sure what she was asking at first. "I think he _is_ going to look at you differently now, but not in the way you seem to be worried about."

"He told me earlier that when it came to me, he couldn't seem to help himself." And she flushed. "The truth is, it's the same way with me."

Martha smiled again. "Your father said that when Lane's want something, they go after it. I can't say that I disagree with him."

"Was he really upset?"

She shook her head. "Something tells me if he were, you would have known."

"When you get to know the General a little better, you'll find out that its not so much what he says. It's what he _doesn't_ say that you have to worry about."

"You're father loves you Lois, you know that."

Lois nodded. "I know he does, and I love him too. He just gets too overprotective."

"He's your father, that's his job. It doesn't matter how old you are." Martha observed and as she looked around the room again, saw how at home Lois was as she moved between the dresser and the closet. "I'll leave you alone now." And she headed toward the door.

"Mrs. Kent?"

She stopped and turned around. "What is it honey?"

"Thanks for what you did for me in there. I feel like it's something _my_ mother would have done."

"It's something _any_ mother would do Lois. Who knows, you may end up doing something like that for _your_ own daughter some day."

Lois' face turned red. "If any daughter of mine pulled a stunt like that, she'd be grounded for the rest of her life."

"And if that daughter turns out to be anything like her mother, she's going to be a handful."

"Hopefully she'll be more like her father." She remarked and Martha wondered if Lois had any one particular in mind. She seemed to realize how it probably sounded and amended her statement. "Who ever he might be."

_Maybe a temporarily transferred FBI agent?_

"Who ever he might be." Martha repeated as she walked out of the room and closed the door behind her.

When she got back downstairs, Jonathan and Sam were headed out the back door. "Jonathan, before you start your chores, would you stoke the fire a little bit? Lois caught a chill and she can't seem to warm up."

Sam tried to stop a grin. "Her battle plan backfired on her, did it?"

_A promise was a promise._

"It's all right, Martha; you don't need to say anything." And then he smiled. "That's my Lo."

"I'll get some more wood." Jonathan smiled at her. "I guess now would be a good time as any to get our son out there to chop some firewood for me."

"Chopping firewood or cold showers. It all amounts to the same thing." Sam laughed.

"My son _has_ been after me to help out around here, so I think it's time to let him." Jonathan laughed with him. "It _is_ for a good reason, after all."

Martha smiled and shook her head as he stepped outside and closed the door behind him. She heard Lois' father sigh before he cleared his throat. "_Is _she all right?" And she could hear the concern in his voice.

"She's fine Sam, just cold. But after a hot breakfast and some hot coffee in front the fire, she'll be warmed through."

"Thank you for helping her through that; I would have been too ham handed with the whole thing." He admitted. "That's the sort of thing that would have been her mother's department."

"She said something to that effect."

The door to the service porch opened and Jonathan was struggling with an armload of wood.

"Let me take that off your hands." Sam stepped forward. "It's the least I can do for her."

"Fair enough." Jonathan nodded and shifted the wood into the other man's outstretched arms. "I'll be out in the barn. I'm late with the morning milk and Bessie is letting me know it."

"As soon as I get this fire stoked, you can show me how it's done."

"You've got yourself a deal." He nodded as he turned around and headed back out the door.

While Sam carried the wood out to the parlor, Martha set up a fresh pot of coffee and put it on the stove to percolate. She got eggs out of the icebox and set them near the frying pan while she waited for Lois to come down.

She happened to glance toward the stairs as she was gathering up Lois' place setting from the table when she finally came downstairs. Her father was just putting the fire screen in front of the hearth when Lois called to him and she was in his arms.

"I'm sorry Daddy." Martha heard her say and Sam chuckled.

"You sure got yourself in a pickle there, didn't you?" He held her close and it was the first time Martha could see how much he really loved his daughter. "Martha didn't say anything to me about what happened, but knowing you as I do, you probably found yourself dealing with some unforeseen consequences."

She nodded.

"You really like him, don't you?"

And she nodded again, which made Martha smile.

"That's good because he's what your mother would have called a keeper; she would have liked him too."

"I wish she were here."

"So do I honey, more than you know." He told her as he let her go and picked up the blanket from the back of the sofa. "Why don't you curl up and make yourself comfortable."

"All right, where is the General and what have you done with him?" Martha could see that Lois was trying to be serious, perhaps not used to the side of her father she was witnessing.

"Can it Lo and sit down." He tried to look just as serious as he tucked the blanket around her legs. "Stay there until Martha tells you that you can get up."

"Is that an order?" And she smiled.

"Hell yes it is and I expect you to follow it." He leaned over and put his hand to her cheek. "Understand?"

"Yes sir."

"That's my good girl." And he cleared his throat, seeming to be embarrassed with his rash of sudden sentimentality. "Well I'm off to milk a cow, god help her."

"It's not that hard Dad." Lois laughed. "Mr. Kent showed me how to do it. Once you get the hang of it, it's pretty easy."

"We'll see about that." He straightened his shoulders and headed toward the kitchen. Martha decided it would be the perfect time to ask Lois what she wanted for breakfast and walked out to the parlor, not wanting them to know she'd overheard their conversation.

"How are you feeling honey?" She asked Lois as Sam walked to the kitchen and a moment later heard the door open and then close.

"Better." She smiled.

"Good. So how would you like your eggs?"

"Not scrambled?" She smiled and her cheeks flushed.

"Lois."

"Over easy would be fine." Came her request.

"All right. And maybe some toast and bacon to go with it?" Martha asked her and Lois nodded.

"That sounds good."

"One hearty breakfast, coming up." As she turned back toward the kitchen, an idea struck her and she turned back around. "How would you like to go into town with me after you eat? It occurs to me that you might not have anything to wear for Christmas Eve dinner. And since we didn't know we would have a guest this year, I'd like to treat you to a new dress. Consider it a Christmas present."

"A new dress?" Martha was hoping she wasn't seeing a look of suspicion. Jonathan was right, they _were_ smart kids.

"There are only three holidays where I expect Jonathan and Clark to come to the table in a suit; Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"Christmas Eve _and_ Christmas Day?"

"Every year." _Darn it, she _was _suspicious! _"Christmas Eve, it's usually just the three of us. But on Christmas Day, we sometimes have our friends and neighbors here. Other years, we go to someone else's home. It's been a nice tradition that was started by Jonathan's parents and _their _friends."

"Does the General know about this?" She looked very wary.

"I expect Jonathan will tell him about it."

The younger woman looked unsure but eventually shrugged her shoulders. "Who am I to break tradition." But then she smiled. "Especially when someone nice buys me a new dress for Christmas."

"We won't be too long and then I'll help you start with the cooking."

Lois nodded and then she sighed.

"It's going to be fine, don't worry." Martha tried to reassure her as she walked back to the kitchen just as the telephone rang and she picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"_Hi, Mom."_

"Hi, honey. You aren't at the _Planet_ already, are you?" It was too soon for him to have gotten into Metropolis.

"_I decided to stop in Granville."_ He told her. "_I just wanted to see how Lois was doing."_

"She's cold

"_Why is she cold?"_

"Because she didn't use any hot water when she took her shower."

"_It's December, why would she be taking a cold shower?" _He _ha_d to know. "_Oh!" _

And Martha knew he was blushing.

It surprised her to realize that for all of the polish he'd gained being away from home, that he was still her shy boy in so many ways. Of course, it took Lois Lane to bring that part of him out again and she was grateful.

"And now she's bundled up and sitting on the sofa in front of the fire." She added.

There was silence on the other end.

"Clark?"

"_I was just thinking." _

"About what?"

Martha didn't hear anything for a moment until she heard his quiet reply. "_About how much I'd like to be there with her."_

"I imagine the same thoughts are probably going through her mind too."

"_Mom?"_

"Yes?"

"_Do you like her?"_

"I like her very much, and your dad does too." And then she asked the obvious question as she glanced out to the parlor and saw that Lois had curled up and fallen asleep. "Do _you _like her?"

She heard him sigh. "_I like her a lot."_

"I think the feeling is mutual, if that's what you're wondering."

"_Do you think it's more than that?"_

"She's the only one who knows that."

"_I've never felt this way about a girl before."_

"What way is that?"

"_I'm starting to have a hard time seeing the rest of my life without her in it." _

His admission got Martha to smile because he'd just inadvertently revealed that he was falling in love. "That's the way it _should_ be when you've found someone special."

"_What if she doesn't see _me _that way?"_

"After what happened this morning, can you honestly say that she doesn't?"

And then she heard his soft laugh.

"I think you just answered your own question."

"_I guess I did."_

"Would you like to talk to her?"

"_No!" _She laughed silently at his panicked answer. "_I mean, that's all right. I'll be seeing her when I get home later anyway."_

"Actually, you probably won't be seeing her until dinnertime. I'm going to take her into town for a little while before she starts cooking." Martha told him, not telling him what she had in mind. "And then she'll need to get cleaned up."

"_With hot water, hopefully?" _She knew he was smiling.

"If she chose not to, there _are_ advantages to warming up in front of a fire, you know." Martha couldn't help it.

"_Mom!" _

"Don't tell me that you weren't just thinking about it."

"_Mom!" _His voice cracked, as it had earlier and she knew she was right.

_Her shy boy. _

It was nice to finally have him home.


	22. Christmas Eve on the Farm

As Sherlock Holmes would surely say, the game was afoot.

Clark sensed it as he watched his parents and Lois' father prepare to leave the house that Christmas Eve evening. His mother told him when he got home that she and his father had decided to take General Lane to the Hubbard's to give him the chance to meet their neighbors. She explained that Lois was nervous about cooking for so many people and since she'd already successfully prepared a meal for her and her father, she was more comfortable cooking for two.

"After everything that happened this morning you're going to leave us here, alone. Does Lois know about this?"

"We trust that nothing more will happen than _should_ happen." She told him cryptically. "And yes, she does know about this and looked just about as happy about it as you do."

"Oh brother." It was going to be a long night.

"Honey, it's not going to be as bad as that. It's a simple meal and she did a nice job, so don't forget to tell her that."

_The whole situation just didn't feel right. _

"In the meantime, why don't you get a fire started in the fireplace?" Mom suggested with a smile. "Everything is ready and Lois is upstairs getting changed."

"Don't look so worried, son." Dad was trying to look serious. "She needs to be prepared in the event that she finds a man brave, that is lucky enough to take her on." He quickly amended his comment with a slight frown from his mother.

"And my adjutant is just the fellow to do that; don't you think so Kent?" The General asked as he shrugged into his overcoat and smiled. "He's taken quite an interest in her you know." He stated, just before he opened the door, stepped out on the porch and closed it behind him.

"I know." He frowned because he didn't like being reminded of that.

His father didn't even bother trying to hide a smile then as he opened the door and waited for Clark's mother to precede him. After she had, he stopped for a moment as his wife spoke to him softly and smiled at her son. "Your mother says not to forget to tell Lois how nice she looks." He said just before he closed the door.

And they were gone.

_Tell her how nice she looks? _What exactly did _that_ mean?

He stood at the front door, staring at it and wondered what the coming evening was going to be like. Because something told him that not only did his mother manage to talk Lois into cooking dinner, but into getting dressed up for the occasion as well. It _was_ Christmas Eve after all and it didn't escape his notice as he turned back toward the parlor that sprigs of mistletoe were hung in every downstairs doorway and archway.

_That's nice and subtle, Mom. _

Clark shook his head in perplexity as he stopped in front of the fireplace and moved the fire screen out of his way. He crouched down, grabbed some old newspapers, crumpled the sheets and shoved them under the fire grate. He reached for some kindling and when he'd arranged it to his satisfaction on top of the grate, pulled the matches off the mantle. He struck the match and touched it to the paper, watching as the kindling slowly caught fire and began to place larger pieces of wood on top to keep the flames building.

He was so focused on making sure the fire didn't go out that he didn't hear Lois come down the stairs.

"I've always been so hopeless at that." He heard the comment and at the sound of her voice, Clark turned to see her standing behind the sofa looking apprehensive and was struck speechless before he stood up.

_Holy cow!_

"Just remember that this was your mother's idea. So if you have to go to the hospital with food poisoning, it's her fault." She babbled and refused to look at him. "And to add to this whole charade, she's hung mistletoe everywhere. As if _that_'ll happen." She added bravely, but the breathlessness in her voice gave her away and he could see that she was really nervous.

Then there _he_ was with his sleeves rolled up, his tie loose and feeling considerably underdressed to be having dinner with her, looking the way she did. "You are looking _much _too comfortable, so I need to do something about that." Lois approached him, as though to shake off her nervousness by scolding him. "If I have to dress up and look like a Christmas tree ornament, than you should at least look presentable." She fussed as she came to a stop in front of him and grasped his shirt collar and buttoned it.

He swallowed a nervous lump in his throat as his hands came to rest at her waist, as though it were the most natural thing in the world for him to do. He felt her tense at his touch as she took his tie in her trembling fingers and slipped the knot into place. She then stepped deftly out of his light hold and he could see that her cheeks were flushed.

"You look beautiful Lois." He had to clear his throat a couple of times to get the words out and then he smiled. "A Christmas tree ornament doesn't have anything on you."

"Your mother told you to say that." She frowned.

"She asked me to tell you that you look nice." He countered gently. "I happen to think you look much _better_ than nice."

And she did.

Clark wasn't a fellow who knew what was fashionable; he just knew what he liked. The dress wasn't anything fancy, and maybe that's why he liked it because he thought the style suited her. He knew too, that he liked the feel of the soft velvet under his hands. The dark blue fabric made the gray in her eyes stand out and the only jewelry she wore to compliment the look was a strand of pearls and a pair of pearl drop earrings.

She seemed to be at a loss as what to say so she turned toward the kitchen, talking as she went. "Don't forget to roll down your sleeves and put your jacket on before you come to the table."

He sighed at her curt request before he turned back to check on the fire that he'd forgotten about, when she'd come downstairs. It seemed to be struggling and he wondered if the wood he'd brought in earlier had gotten wet from the snow. So he placed a few more pieces on the grate and put the screen back in place.

While he kept an eye on the fire, he walked over to the radio and turned in on. As he waited for it to warm up, he glanced into the kitchen and saw Lois putting on one of his mother's Christmas aprons. She was going all out, whether she wanted to or not and he felt his chest tighten at the domestic scene.

He turned the dial and all he seemed to get was war news. Ordinarily he would want to listen to the reports and hear what was going on in the Pacific. The Japs were giving the Navy and the Marines hell and at the rate things were going, it looked as though the war would be going well into 1942.

But tonight of all nights, Christmas Eve in the Year of Our Lord Nineteen Hundred Forty-one, he wanted some peace on earth and good will to men; namely _him_. So he kept turning the dial before he found the _Kraft Music Hall _program.

Bing Crosby had already begun his perennial Christmas rendition of 'Adeste Fidelis', which signaled that the program had just started. And when Bing was finished singing, Clark smiled when he heard one of the featured guests would be Jerry Colonna.

Colonna usually worked with Bob Hope on his _Pepsodent Hour _program, but Crosby always seemed to take great pleasure in stealing one of Hope's co-stars for his own show, especially at Christmastime.

As Lois requested, he rolled down his sleeves and buttoned the cuffs as he took one more look at the fire before he joined her in the kitchen. She looked so comfortable standing at the counter, seeming to know her way around and it unnerved him. "Is there anything that I can help you with?"

"You're such an Eagle Scout." She said without turning to face him. He knew her well enough by then to know that her defenses were up and she was letting him know it.

"I'm not being an Eagle Scout Lois, I'm just asking if you want me to help." He was _not_ going to get defensive about this, he told himself and then heard her quiet sigh.

"You might as well light the candles your mother put on the table." She suggested with a shrug of her shoulders. "She left a box of matches on the sideboard."

"Anything else?"

She shook her head. "No, that'll be it."

He walked into the dining room and thought he understood why Lois was so defensive, because his mother had gone all out with the table. She'd brought out Grandma Kent's Irish lace tablecloth as well as the china and sterling silver place settings that were used only for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners.

If their parents had been there to share in the meal, he wouldn't have given a second thought as to how the table was laid out. But Mom insisted that Lois cook and dress up while the table was set for an intimate dinner for two, for surely that was their plan. Candles and low light weren't generally a part of the holiday meal and it was because of that Clark realized that he and Lois had been set up.

Who knew that their parents could be so devious?

"Damn!" He heard her exclamation from the kitchen and rushed back in to see what had happened.

"What's wrong?" Clark frowned in concern as he saw Lois with the pad of her finger in her mouth.

"Nothing's wrong." Lois glared at him. "I just felt like sucking my finger for no good reason."

"Let me see." He took her hand in his and saw a small knick near the tip of her index finger that was beginning to bleed. He led her to the sink, turned on the tap and put her hand underneath. "It's not bad. But keep your finger under the water until I get some ice for it."

"Ice?" She asked as he opened the door to the icebox and then the inner door to the freezer compartment.

"It'll stop the bleeding." He explained as he got an ice cube and closed the doors.

"Don't tell me. You got a merit badge in the Boy Scouts for ice cubes?" She frowned at him as he moved back to her side and he smiled.

"Close." He teased. "But the Scouts call it First Aid."

"Clark, I'm not about to bleed to death." She glanced up at him as he took her hand from under the tap and turned it off. He put the ice on her finger and she tried to jerk her hand away, which he kept in a firm grip. "That's cold!"

"That's why it's called _ice_. It's supposed to be cold." He told her, not bothering to mention that his own fingers were chilled.

"You have a nasty sarcastic streak in you Agent Kent. Did anyone ever tell you that?" He could feel the pulse in her wrist begin to quicken and knew he needed to be careful.

"A sarcastic streak that only _you_ seem to be able to bring out in me, Miss Lane. Why do you suppose that is?"

"Did you light the candles like I asked you to?" She deflected his question with one of her own and snatching the melting ice out of his hand, she tossed it into the sink. "Dinner will be cold if you don't get moving."

"I didn't have the chance to." He admitted.

"Then would you take care of it, please?" She pulled her hand out of his grasp before turning her back to him to open the oven door. "Everything is ready to go."

"Lois, what's wrong?" She'd been testy since he'd gotten home and wasn't sure why.

"You woke me up." He should have known that was it.

"So it's _my_ fault that you ended up in a cold shower." Clark shot back incredulously, irritated that she felt the need to throw it in his face.

"No one else was in that bedroom, buster!" She grabbed a couple of nearby potholders, pulled the roasting pan out of the oven and slammed it down on the stove.

"Well, you weren't exactly shoving me out the door, you know."

_She was infuriating!_

"Would you light the candles please?" Lois tossed down the potholders.

_Was she throwing down the gauntlet? _

No dinner with her was worth this; he decided and left her standing in the kitchen as he walked through the parlor, to the front door.

"Light your own damn candles, I'm going for a walk." She had deliberately baited him into getting angry with her and he'd done exactly that, which made him even angrier.

"You can't!" She called after him. "Not after all the trouble I went to."

"Then give it to Shelby!" He yanked his overcoat off of the coat rack and jammed his arms into the sleeves.

"At least he'd appreciate the effort!" She seemed determined to get the last word in before he pulled the door open and slammed it behind him after he'd stepped out onto the porch.

Of all the women in the state of Kansas he could have fallen for, it had to be _her_! And as difficult as it was to admit, he _had_ fallen for her. Harder than he'd ever fallen for any girl and all he wanted to do was throttle her. _Damn!_

He heard the door open as he walked away from the house and sighed; obviously she wasn't through with him just yet. "What!"

"I lit the candles." She sounded tired.

"I'll be in, in a minute." Clark told her.

"Clark." He heard her step off of the porch and approach him.

"Lois, please go back in the house." He was practically begging because he didn't trust what he might say to her and didn't want anything said that he couldn't take back.

"Clark." She was stubborn; he'd give her that.

"Is this what it's going to be like now, fighting all the time?" He asked as he turned to face her and sighed in frustration. "I shouldn't have wakened you this morning, but I did. I took advantage of a situation that I shouldn't have and we both ended up paying for it. I don't know what else it is that you want from me."

"I want you to come back in and have dinner. Please." She let out a sigh of her own before he saw a look of surprise on her face and she pitched forward. "What the...?"

She lost her balance and before he had the opportunity to brace himself and stop her from falling, they both went down in the snow. And then she sneezed.

_Shelby. _

Where had that damn dog come from?

"This is just great!" Lois huffed and he felt her hands on his chest as she tried to push herself off of him. Her cheeks were flushed, though that was probably more from the cold than anything else and her hair had come undone from the loose upsweep she'd had it in. It tumbled forward and brushed his cheek.

_She really was beautiful._

He couldn't tell what she was thinking until her face came closer and then he did.

"You think that's such a good idea?" He swallowed nervously as her lips brushed his and his heart began to beat in anticipation, of what though?

"It's a terrible idea." She said quietly as she relaxed against him, tucked her head under his chin and sighed. Shelby must have thought they were playing, because he pressed a wet nose against Clark's cheek and Lois sneezed again.

"Your dog knocked me over, you know." And he felt the vibration against him as she laughed.

"I've told you that Shelby likes you and you still don't believe me." He said as he gently pushed the dog away. "Or did you happen to notice that he made sure I was in front of you when you fell."

"Scheming mutt."

"He still likes you." Clark smiled. "Now as much as I'd like to stay here with you, in the snow, I'd really rather be in the house eating dinner."

"You're no fun." She laughed as she lifted her head from his chest and smiled at him. "Now how are we supposed to get ourselves out of the situation Shelby got us in?"

"You're going to have to get up first." He felt like he was stating the obvious. "Can you do that without having to kneel in the snow?"

"If you can sit up a little, that should give me the leverage I need." She looked at him warily.

"This is going to be interesting." He quipped as he shifted his body to sit up while Lois grabbed onto his shoulders and tried to plant her feet to stand. "Uh, Lois. You need to move y our knee."

Clark tried to stop a blush as she tried to hide a smile when she seemed to realize where it was. "Sorry."

"I know." He nodded and when she managed to get to her feet, she tried to help him up as he struggled to stand. His coat had gotten wet and his feet were cold. Lois looked like she was about to freeze, wrapped only in his mother's sweater. "Are you crazy? Why in the hell would you come out in a sweater?"

"Because I didn't expect to get knocked down in the snow." She frowned; looking puzzled at his change in mood. "If you hadn't rushed out of the house, we'd both be warm and dry. And eating." She added.

They were doing it again, and he really didn't want to fight. So instead, he put one of his arms around her back, caught her behind her knees with the other and picked her up. "We can't fight; it's Christmas."

"Tell yourself." And when she realized where she was, he couldn't tell if she were annoyed or pleased. "What are you doing?"

"You have a knack for asking the obvious Lois. I'm carrying you into the house."

"Why?"

"Because I want to and because you look cold." He stated as he walked back toward the porch and he felt Lois relax as she put arm around his shoulders.

"I'm not anymore."

"Glad to be of service." He brushed a kiss in her hair and carried her back into the house. He nudged the door closed and set her down on her feet.

"My dinner!" Lois' eyes went wide and she rushed toward the kitchen. "It's ruined!"

"I'm sure it's fine; just calm down." He followed behind her and watched as she checked on the meal his mother had helped her prepare. "So what's the verdict?"

"It's a good thing I didn't put that roast back in the oven." She looked relieved. "Everything else looks fine too."

"Then I say it's time to eat." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Nice job Lois."

"Tell me that _after_ you've eaten." She smiled back and rewarded him with a flush.

oooooo

How he let her talk him into dancing after dinner was beyond him.

But there they were, standing near the radio and she was trying to teach him how jitterbug to 'In the Mood'.

It probably would have gone a lot more smoothly if Lois didn't keep laughing. He wasn't sure where the humor was in the fact he was having a hell of a time listening to the music as she tried to instruct him, while he looked at his feet.

"Don't look at your feet." She told him again. "Just follow my directions."

"That's easy for you to say." He replied in frustration. "You already know how to do this."

And then she stopped. "Do you trust me?"

Her question surprised him. "Yes."

"Then trust me to know what I'm doing and just follow my lead, okay?"

He nodded and tried again.

Before he could quite get the hang of it though, the song came to an end as the boisterous horns of 'In the Mood' faded away and the tranquil notes of 'Snowfall' began.

It was a slow, gentle and romantic tune that had Clark and Lois looking into the other's startled face wondering at that moment what they were supposed to do.

It was one thing to touch her as she instructed him on the fast paced dance that he just struggled his way through. But touching her with a song like this was something all together different and he wasn't sure if he could hold her without really wanting to hold her, close.

The soft register of the piano chords was accompanied by the answering call of the clarinets as it wove a gentle spell around the pair. He carefully took her right hand in his left, put his right hand at her waist as she put her left hand on his shoulder. He looked at the parlor walls as they slowly began to turn together, then at the fire he'd stoked after dinner. The Christmas tree came into view and he couldn't help but notice that one of the bubble lights had burned out.

He looked at anything that would keep his mind off the fact that there was a beautiful woman in his arms, though at a proper distance and she smelled like lilacs.

He didn't know who moved first or maybe they both moved at the same time, it didn't really matter. But the next thing he knew his right hand found the small of her back as her left found a home just below his shoulder blades. Her cheek came to rest against his as he pulled her gently toward him and her right hand was cradled in his left as he held it against his heart. Her gentle scent nearly overwhelmed him as they continued to turn and her left hand began to caress the suddenly tense muscles of his back.

His own free hand began to caress the low of her back in answer and he felt her jolt of surprise at his action. He made a mental note to himself about that because he fully expected her to pull out of his gentle hold. But instead he heard her sigh as she stepped closer still and that movement brought her body flush against his.

It was Clark's turn to tense because he hadn't really thought that he would get to hold her so close again and marveled at how she fit so perfectly against his own solid form. No other woman he'd ever known seemed to blend with him as well as she, and it unsettled him.

But it didn't stop his continued caress of her back as her immediate proximity brought his cheek against her hair and the scent of lilacs filled his senses. Her own hand continued to caress him and the muscles in his back began to relax under her light touch; then all he could think of was how much he wanted to kiss her.

Just as quickly however, he realized to do that would be to put them back in a situation they put each other in that morning. And he really didn't want to end the evening fighting with her.

"Clark?" Lois' soft voice gave him a start.

"Mm-hmm?"

"What are you thinking about?" She sighed as her head went down on his shoulder.

"You." And he smiled at his frank admission.

"Good thoughts?" She asked quietly.

"Mm-hmm."

"Clark?"

"What is it, Lois?" He sighed as he felt her pull her hand out of his and lay it against his heart.

"The song's over." Clark heard her laugh softly.

"I know." He wasn't about to let her go, just yet.

"Just thought I'd point out the obvious." She stated as her arm slipped from his back down to his waist and she tightened her arm around him.

The gentle spell was broken when Clark heard Shelby whining at the front door and then heard him scratch it. "Lois?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to let Shelby in." He really didn't want to let her go.

"All right." She stepped out of his arms and looked into his eyes as she ran a hand down his cheek. She didn't say anything more before she walked to the sofa and sat down.

He walked to the door and opened it enough to let the dog in. The temperature was dropping again and Clark could feel how cold it was when he ran a hand down Shelby's coat and closed the door behind him . "Come on in boy."

He walked back to the fireplace and grabbed the poker to push the logs around to keep them burning and added another before he put the poker back and Shelby stretched out.

"He's got the right idea." Lois commented and when he turned around she was laying down on the sofa. She looked up at Clark and he got the oddest feeling that she was trying to ask him something. "There's plenty of room."

He couldn't help it. "In front of the fire or on the sofa?"

"I'm sure that trouble-making mutt would appreciate the company." She smiled at him. "But I know that _I'd_ appreciate it more."

"Will you behave yourself?" He asked, as seriously as he could manage.

"Shouldn't I be asking _you_ that question?" She raised her eyebrow at him. "After all, you have this knack for getting me in your arms with very little effort."

"I didn't hear you complaining." Clark approached the sofa and was unsure what to do, even though he knew what he _wanted_ to do.

She seemed to understand why he was hesitating. "I'm not expecting anything else, just this."

_Clark, listen to your heart for once. _

"If we're going to lay on that sofa, I'm getting a pillow." He decided as he walked to the stairs. "Don't go anywhere."

"It's twenty degrees outside, where am I going?" He heard her laugh as he took the stairs two at a time and when he reached the linen closet, pulled out a pillow and a blanket. He turned back around and went down to the parlor only to find that Lois had fallen asleep.

He shook his head and smiled, _it would figure_.

He left the pillow at the far end of the sofa, so she could reach for it if she woke up and then covered her in the warm blanket. He checked on Shelby and he was fast asleep as well.

Clark turned off the radio and the parlor lights. He left the tree lights on and he smiled at the scene it all set as he turned for the stairs again, to go get his bedding and pajamas.

"Where are you going?" He heard Lois' disembodied voice from the other side of the sofa and he walked back into the parlor to crouch down in front of her.

"To bed."

She shook her head. "I don't think so."

"You sure about this?" He didn't want her thinking he was taking unfair advantage of another situation.

"I trust you."

That was all he needed. She sat up and grabbed the pillow, laying it against the arm of the sofa and waited for him to sit down. Clark untied his shoes and set them next to hers as he stretched out. It wasn't awkward as he thought it might be as they found a way to share the narrow space and as he lay his head down on the pillow, Lois put her head down on his chest and put an arm around him.

He caught her around her waist and held her to him as he covered them both with the blanket. He felt her slowly relax in his embrace and then heard her even breathing.

"Lois?"

"Hmm?" Her voice was faint and Clark knew she was nearly asleep.

"Thank you." And he smiled.

"For what?" She seemed to be having trouble forming her words.

_Let her sleep, will you?_

"For all of this. I had a really nice evening."

"Didn't have to take you to hospital." He barely heard it as she sighed and then she was quiet.

"I never thought you'd have to." He told her and it surprised him to hear her soft snort of laughter before he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.


	23. Snowfall

Lois slowly woke and it didn't take long to realize that she wasn't in her bed because the last thing she remembered was falling asleep on the sofa with...Clark.

Her eyes snapped open and she was alone, still covered in the blanket. Shelby was asleep in front of the fire and it looked as though Clark had put on another log. But where was _he_?

She snuggled back into the pillow and could smell his shaving soap. She couldn't peg exactly what the scent was, but all she knew was that it was something she would always associate with him. Maybe it was because she couldn't exactly peg _him_ either.

What an odd evening it had been.

Odd, nerve-wracking, frustrating, upsetting and, dare she say it, romantic?

It was difficult for her to reconcile the man she'd met a short two and a half weeks ago to the man who'd held her so close earlier in the evening; so close that she could feel the beat of his heart against her chest. How could things have changed in such a short period of time and how was it that she let it?

How was it that she never felt she could lose her heart to any man until now and to someone she hardly knew, yet felt she'd known for forever? Was that was Dad meant?

And then she wondered if their parents had come home.

Lois glanced at her wristwatch and she'd slept for over an hour. And that meant their parents would be home at any time and she didn't want them knowing that she and Clark had fallen asleep together.

Because even as amused as they'd been at the predicament she and Clark had put each other in that morning, she honestly didn't believe that they would have been just as amused knowing they'd slept together. As she'd told Clark that morning, even the General had his limits, and she imagined that the Kent's did too.

It didn't matter that nothing had happened or that it was all perfectly innocent, she just knew they wouldn't be happy about it. So she sat up and slipped her feet into her shoes and it was then she noticed that _his_ shoes were missing.

She folded the blanket and fluffed up the pillow before she took them upstairs and put them back in the linen closet. When she got back downstairs, she walked into the kitchen and didn't see him; a quick look out at the service porch didn't yield anything either.

She didn't think he'd gone to bed yet and decided to take a look out on the front porch.

She took her coat from the coat rack, put it on and buttoned it up before she opened the front door. Sure enough he was there, sitting on the porch swing. She pulled her gloves on, knowing he would scold her if she weren't bundled up and closed the door behind her.

"I thought I was going to have to carry you upstairs." Clark didn't look at her, but he had a soft smile on his face that made her flush.

_He had a very bad habit of making her do that._

"You've done that once already." Lois smiled back. "What makes you think I'd let you do it again?"

"I carried you into the house earlier." He pointed out as he glanced at her.

"That's true, but you didn't really give me a choice." She countered.

"That's true, but I didn't hear you complaining either." And _he_ flushed.

"Why would I when it was a very nice place to be?" She couldn't help it and as she thought would happen, his flush deepened before he cleared his throat and she knew she'd flustered him. There was something so femininely satisfying to know that she was able to do that to him because she'd never had that effect on other men. But when she thought about it, it was because they weren't Clark Kent.

"What's going on inside that head of yours, Lois?" She heard his amused voice and looked at him.

"What makes you think there's something going on?"

"Lois."

"I was thinking about how much I like seeing you flustered." She told him honestly. "I think it's really sweet."

"You do." And he smiled.

She nodded. "You're so different from the man I met at the _Falcon_."

"And that's a _good_ thing?" He raised his eyebrows at her.

"Only if it's with me." She admitted as she walked over to where he was sitting.

She _was_ going to sit next to him, but decided at the last moment not to and stepped in between his knees, mostly to see what kind of a reaction she would get.

It wasn't quite what she expected as she put her hands on his shoulders for good measure and when his hands came up around her waist, she saw a look of anticipation on his face. "What do you think you're doing?" Clark asked her, though he already seemed to know.

"You never let me finish my kiss." She said simply. "And seeing how it's almost Christmas, you can consider this your Christmas present."

"You think that's such a good idea?" He'd asked her that earlier when they were lying in the snow, looking afraid as though she might actually do it. This time, he seemed to be challenging her to follow through.

It was then she knew, their evening alone together had changed everything. He had a quiet confidence he hadn't displayed before they danced, even as she made him flush.

But Lois knew that regardless of what they might be feeling for each other, and that was still so odd to her given the short time they'd known each other, he had an investigation to finish up and she wasn't going to be a distraction.

But for now, however, it _was_ still Christmas. And even though there wasn't any mistletoe around, it didn't mean she couldn't get her kiss. But Clark surprised her when he pulled a sprig of it out of his pocket and held it up for her to see as he smiled. "Well then, aren't you forgetting something?"

"_You_ obviously didn't." She smiled back as he set it down on the swing and to her utter confusion he took her left hand from his shoulder and pulled her glove off. "What are you doing?"

He held her hand up, seeming to look for something and her heart picked up a flutter when he ran his thumb across the pad of her bandaged index finger. "Just checking to see how your finger is doing." He looked up at her and he was letting her know in no uncertain terms what was on his mind. "You put a bandage on it."

"Uh-huh." It was all she could think to say as he slipped the glove back on, because his touch was so gentle.

"Don't want you getting frostbite." He said as he picked up the mistletoe and began to twirl it between his gloved fingers. "Do you realize that for something meant to inspire romance, this is actually a fungus?"

"Fungus?" She frowned at his apparent attempt to ruin the mood _he'd _begun to set. "Don't tell me, the Boy Scouts?"

And then he laughed. "No, my dad."

"He's a regular _Farmer's Almanac_, isn't he?"

"Considering that he _is_ a farmer, it makes sense. Don't you think?" He told her as he moved forward on the swing and pulled her closer in his arms. "So why don't you wish me a Merry Christmas and please give me my present."

"I don't think I can top what you gave me this morning." Lois ran a gloved hand down his cheek and he closed his eyes for a moment and smiled.

"You can take that glove off, for starters." He quipped. "Wool isn't nearly as nice as you."

"Just how much of me are you talking about?"

"How much of _you_ are you offering?" Clark laughed again and she shook her head.

_Good one Lois, you walked right into that._

"I'm offering _me,_ as is." She replied. "So it's that or nothing."

"That's not much of a choice, but I'll take what I can get." He pulled her closer still. "So what about my present?"

"Have you been a good boy this year?" Lois leaned over and brushed his lips with hers, as she'd done earlier and when she backed away he followed her, not wanting to break the simple contact.

"Too good." His voice was low and Lois cleared her throat in objection. She knew he understood without her saying anything else, what she meant because he amended his comment. "Except for that."

"I think Santa's willing to overlook that whole thing." She brushed his lips again.

"That's good." He leaned back enough to look into her eyes. "Are _you_?"

"Yes." She nodded. "In spite of that mess you got yourself in, I believe that you're a decent, honorable man. And I _know_ that because you waited until you ended your affair with her to make a play for me."

"You're too important to me to have done otherwise." He told her.

"Do you think this is getting serious?" Their playful banter was taking on a subdued tone and for that, Lois needed to treat it accordingly. So she stepped out of his loose embrace and sat down next to him, where Clark took her gloved hand in his and squeezed it.

"I think I'm falling in love with you." His answer was honest and Lois was absolutely stunned. It was something that had flitted across her mind, but because of his involvement with Lana Luthor she didn't let herself think about it. But she also knew that because of the way he treated her, she had become much more than just a witness to him.

She put her head down on his shoulder, suddenly feeling very lightheaded and not knowing what to say.

"I'm sorry Lois, I shouldn't have told you that."

"Do you mean it?" She wasn't about to let him back out of it.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't." And he was quiet. "Do you think you might be feeling something like that for me?"

"I'm not sure _what_ I feel." She was just as honest and heard him sigh before she sat up. Lois put her hand on his cheek again so he would look at her, because she wanted him to understand she wasn't rejecting him or his feelings for her. "I _do_ feel something for you that I've never felt for anyone else."

"You're afraid." It wasn't an accusation and she knew that.

"Aren't you?" She asked.

"Scared to death." He admitted and then to her amazement, he smiled. "So I have a chance?"

She punched him in the arm. "You wouldn't have told me that if you thought you didn't."

"Maybe." His answer was cryptic as he shrugged and offered her his hand when he stood. "Let's go inside, it's too cold to be sitting out here."

"Says you." She laughed as he pulled her up. "This is where I found you, remember?"

"It wasn't all bad."

They walked to the door and he opened it, waiting for her to precede him inside. It was quiet as they took their coats off, but not an uncomfortable silence. She started to walk into the parlor when Shelby's head bobbed up in curiosity and when he saw who it was; his head went back down on his paws as though to say, 'It's just them.'

She felt a gentle hand on her arm and when she turned around, Clark's attention had been drawn upward to the entryway of the parlor. He smiled as his gaze dropped to her lips before his eyes met hers. "We're standing under mistletoe."

"That's convenient." She smiled back at him.

"You can thank my mother for that." Clark stepped closer and Lois felt his arms come around her waist.

"I will." She felt her body begin to tremble and he stopped cold.

"Are you all right?" His look of concern touched her and she put her arms around his neck.

"I'm fine." She nodded. "It's just that this kiss is going to be different because of the way you feel about me."

He raised his eyebrows in feigned surprise. "What makes you think I'm going to let you kiss me?"

She stepped closer to him and his eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement. "Well, let's see. You've got your arms around me, we're standing under mistletoe and you keep asking me for your Christmas present. Have I missed anything?"

"That about covers it. Except that you _still_ haven't given me my Christmas present." He said with a laugh.

"You have a one-track mind."

"It's called focusing your attention, Lois." He leaned in close. "Which is what I really wish you would do."

"Focus my attention." She tried to look thoughtful.

"That's it." He confirmed it and glanced at her lips again.

_Just kiss him, Lois. _She chastised herself as she pushed herself up on her toes and tightened her arms around his neck. She saw him smile just before she closed her eyes and while there was the very real temptation to brush his lips again; he didn't give her the chance.

_She_ smiled as their lips met in a warm caress, because he made sure their contact wasn't fleeting and that she wouldn't pull away from him as his arms closed firmly around her. And then he laughed softly and gently shook his head.

_He knew what she'd been thinking._

Their kiss remained gentle and unhurried because they both knew that to push the boundaries would put them in a situation they might not be able to step back from. And she wasn't ready for that with him.

He meant too much to her to let that happen just yet.

"Merry Christmas." She whispered in his ear as he held her to him and she sighed.

"This is the nicest Christmas I can remember in a long time." He told her as his hold around her waist loosened and he looked into her eyes. "Thank you. And thank you for my present."

"You're welcome." Lois gave him another soft kiss of appreciation and stepped out of his embrace, reluctantly. She walked through the parlor toward the kitchen with the intention of finishing up the dishes so Mrs. Kent wouldn't feel she had to. "I've got dishes to do."

"You'd rather do the dishes than stand under mistletoe with me?" Clark teased as he followed her. "I think I'm going to develop a complex."

She handed him a dishtowel before she turned on the tap to fill the dishpan with soap and warm water. "The faster we get these done, the faster we get back under the mistletoe before our parents come home."

"You don't need to tell me twice." He smiled as he took the towel out of her hand as she handed him a dish.

oooooo

They stood shoulder to shoulder as they finished washing and drying the last of the dishes and Lois couldn't help but wonder if this was what it could be like if anything permanent came of what was happening between them.

Clark was such a reassuring presence next to her and without thinking about it, she put her head on his shoulder to be closer to him. She felt his head dip after a moment as his lips sought out hers and he gave her a gentle kiss.

She kissed him back and a feeling of such deep emotion came over her that all she wanted was the feel of his arms around her. So she turned into his kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him close.

She felt him reach over to turn off the water before his arms were around her and he began to run a light hand up and down her back to try and comfort her. "What's wrong?"

Lois shook her head because she didn't trust herself to speak.

"Did I do something wrong?"

She shook her head again.

"Then what is it?" He sounded concerned and a little worried. "Lois, you can tell me."

"I think I'm falling in love with you, too." She admitted breathlessly and the sound of it in her ears made her weak in the knees.

"But that's not a bad thing." She felt his cheek against her hair and the scent of his shaving soap was driving her to distraction.

"No." It was all she managed before she heard voices coming from the front porch and they both froze. Then as the sound of the doorknob turning reached them, Clark held her a moment longer for a swift, damp kiss that Lois felt down to her toes. He set her away from him and grabbed the dishtowel he'd dropped on the counter to finish drying the few remaining dishes and she grabbed a sponge to wipe down the stove she'd already wiped down after dinner.

She glanced over at him and they smiled at the other's flushed face.

"Clark, Lois?" She heard Mrs. Kent's voice come toward the kitchen. "Where are you?"

"Kitchen." His voice sounded annoyed and Lois knew what he was doing; he wanted their parents to think the evening had gone badly.

To help him toward that end, Lois tossed the sponge down and sighed. "I'm going to bed." She glanced at Clark and tried not to smile because she was supposed to be upset with him. "You can finish this up yourself."

His face reddened even more as he feigned a frown and slapped the dishtowel down on the counter. "I'm going for a walk." He brushed past her and walked into the parlor, heading for the door.

"Fine." She followed him and while he grabbed his coat from the coat rack, she started up the stairs. "Thank you for such a _memorable_ evening." She tossed over her shoulder, knowing he would understand that she really meant it.

"We should try this again." He shot back just as sarcastically and Lois tried not to laugh as she did the very unladylike thing of running up the stairs. She wanted to give their parents the impression she was upset and it seemed to work when she heard Mrs. Kent's worried voice call after her.

"I'll look after her Martha." She heard her father's voice as she got to the top of the stairs and walked down to Clark's room. She left the door open for him as she walked to the window, looking out at the black night and searched for the Christmas star as she'd done since she was a child.

Lois heard the door close and knew her father was there. "That was quite the performance from you and young Kent, Lo. Almost worthy of an Academy Award."

"I never could pull anything over on you." And she smiled.

"They'll catch on soon enough." She heard his soft laugh. "Because it won't take them long to realize that your hair was _up_ when we left the house tonight and when I found you in the kitchen just now, it wasn't. These are yours by the way."

And when Lois turned around, he had her hairpins in his hand. "I found them, curiously enough, outside in the snow. Any idea of how they got there?"

"Would you believe me if I told you that Shelby knocked me over? And when Clark tried to stop me from falling, we _both_ went down?" She asked as he dropped the hairpins in her hand.

"When it comes to you, I believe it." He grinned as he took her hand and led her to the foot of the bed. "Have a seat." They sat down together and his arm went around her shoulders. "Did you have a nice evening? I know you were nervous about the whole thing."

"Daddy, you set us up." She tried to deflect his question. "Of course, I didn't realize that until I saw the dining room table."

"Did you have a nice evening?" He wouldn't be deterred.

Lois felt her face warm as she glanced at her father. "Very nice."

"So if that's true, why the subterfuge downstairs?" He asked.

"Because you set us up, that's why." She told him. "We just didn't want to give you the satisfaction of knowing that your scheme worked."

"All we did was give the two of you an opportunity. What you feel for each other took care of the rest, I'd say."

"Nothing happened that shouldn't have." Lois felt the need to clarify.

"And we trusted you to know that it wouldn't." He acknowledged. "Otherwise we never would have left you alone. You're mother really would have liked him."

"You think about her a lot." It wasn't a question because she already knew the answer.

"I think about her everyday. And when I see you falling for young Kent the same way that I fell for your mother, I miss her more than ever." He cleared his throat in embarrassment and stood up. "We'll keep this between us, but something tells me that the Kent's have probably figured it out already."

"It wouldn't surprise me." She smiled at him. "They're smart people."

"Sweet dreams, Lois." He patted her cheek and turned for the door. "Though I don't think that'll be a problem."

"Good night, Dad." She shook her head as he opened the door and walked out of the room, closing it behind him.

_Academy Award?_

oooooo

"Lois, wake up."

_She knew that voice._

"Wake up, it's Christmas."

Lois smiled sleepily and realized he was still such a kid when it came to that. "You already got your present, buster. So go back to bed."

"But that was Christmas Eve, now it's Christmas." He persisted as she felt his weight settle at the edge of the bed.

"Clark, what time is it?" She didn't want to open her eyes to find out.

"Just before two and everyone is in bed."

"Except for you. My dad is a light sleeper just so you know, always has been." She warned him. "If he heard you come out of your dad's office, it won't take him long to figure out where you went."

"Then kiss me so I can get out of here and go to bed."

"Clark." She saw the intensity of his feelings for her in his blue eyes when she finally opened hers and smiled at him. It looked as though he'd just gotten out of the shower and it dawned on her that he hadn't been to bed yet. "Why are you still up?"

"I keep thinking about everything that happened tonight and I couldn't sleep." And he smiled. "You on the other hand..."

"Why do you think I didn't want to open my eyes?" She got an arm from under the blankets and ran a hand down his cheek. "You relived it your way and I relived it mine."

"There isn't anything that says we can't relive it together." He smile became a grin. "Or make another memory."

_God, he was handsome._

She really shouldn't have done it, but she couldn't resist. "All right, you get _one_ kiss."

"Then we better make it count." He laughed softly as Lois brought her other arm from under the blanket and put her hands on his shoulders. He brushed a lock of hair off of her face and ran a hand down her cheek. "You mean so much to me."

She nodded with a sigh as she leaned into his touch. "I know."

Lois felt his arms slip underneath her back and pull her up against his chest and into his arms. She put her arms around his waist and her hands found the edge of his tee shirt. And as they kissed, she slipped her hands underneath and felt the warmth of his skin under her fingers. He jerked in surprise, but didn't stop her gentle exploration of his back.

She began to get the feeling he wanted to expand his own exploration beyond her lips and knew that they were skirting that invisible cliff again, so she reluctantly moved her hands from under his shirt.

"I'd better go before this gets out of hand." He sighed as he held her and she nodded in agreement. "Merry Christmas Lois."

He lay her back down on the bed and covered her up to her chin. "Merry Christmas Clark, sleep well."

"I will now, thanks to you." He smiled.

"I'm better than a sleeping pill."

"You're prettier than one too."

"That's high praise." She rolled her eyes at him. "I don't think my feminine sensibilities can take much more."

"Go back to sleep."

"You realize that you woke me up, again." She raised a sleepy eyebrow.

"I know." He grinned at her again and got up off the bed. He turned and walked to the door, opened it and glanced down both ends of the hallway before he stepped out and closed the door behind him. A moment later he opened it again and poked his head in. "Goodnight, Lois."

And then he was gone.

Clark told her earlier that evening that it was the nicest Christmas he could remember in a long time and she knew what he meant because she felt the same. She hoped that they would only get better.

Only time would tell.


	24. Dinner with the General

The house was quiet that early Christmas morning as Clark walked out of his father's office and _his _makeshift sleeping quarters. He'd never been a fan of sleeping on Dad's old cot, but at least it kept him from tossing and turning, as he surely would have done if he'd been on the sofa.

Because all he could think about during that long night was the feel of her warm body against his as he held her close, the softness of her lips as she answered his kiss and her gentle hands as they'd cautiously roamed his back. It was the touch of her skin on his that had him gather every ounce of self control he could muster not to throw caution to the wind and show her how much he really cared for her.

But he didn't because what he felt was about so much more than being physically close, which he couldn't deny he wanted. What had stopped him from deepening their kiss and lowering her back down to the bed and joining her was that she would have ended up thinking that all he'd come in for was a quick tumble.

And he never wanted her to doubt how real his feelings for her were.

He padded out to the kitchen and was surprised to see his father at the table, with a cup of coffee and the newspaper. He ran a hand through his sleep rumpled hair and yawned. "Morning, Dad. Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, son. I'm surprised to see you up so early." And it looked suspiciously as though he was trying to hide a smile behind the paper.

"I couldn't sleep." Clark told him honestly and walked to the stove. "Too much on my mind."

"Your mother just made a fresh pot."

"Thanks." He got a cup from the cabinet next to the stove and filled it before he walked to the table and sat across from his father. "Where are Mom and General Lane?"

"He wanted to see the rest of the place before he went back to Fort Ryan, so your mother is showing him around."

"Is he staying for breakfast?" Clark asked.

"That was the plan." He answered. "We were talking last night about Christmas dinner and Lois's father has invited all of us to Fort Ryan this evening. And he says that he won't make her cook."

"It wasn't bad." Clark shrugged before he smiled and commented quietly. "She didn't have to take me to the hospital."

"What's that?" The newspaper went down.

He looked up into the amused eyes of his father and shook his head. "It's nothing."

"So what was that all about last night?" Dad raised his eyebrows.

"What was _what _all about?" He should have known his parents would see through it.

"Clark, you know what I mean." His father's look was serious. "I'm guessing that things went well?"

He nodded and when he felt his face warm, looked down at his hands to disguise it. "I wasn't sure _how _thing were going to go, especially after what had happened that morning."

"She certainly got your attention, didn't she?" Clark didn't need see his father to know he was smiling. And when he finally did, his flush had deepened and _he_ smiled.

"She already had it, Dad."

"I know she did son. And unless I miss my guess, I'd say that she has your heart too."

"She does."

"I don't suppose I need to ask if you have hers." He smiled knowingly.

"I do." Clark smiled back self-consciously.

"Remember those words, they may come in handy." Dad chuckled.

"Dad." He felt his face warm again and then positively burn when he heard Lois's voice as she walked into the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Kent." She sounded a little breathless and he figured that his proximity to her was having the same effect as hers was on him.

"Merry Christmas, Lois." Clark heard the amusement in his voice. "Martha made some fresh coffee if you'd like some."

"I'd adore it; I'm not exactly the dawn patrol type." She commented as she took the long way around to the stove, as she'd done the morning before and brushed a light hand across his shoulders. She didn't say anything else and when Clark looked up, her back was to him as she poured herself a cup of coffee.

"I'm going to go find your mother and tell her the two of you are awake. She was thinking we could open presents before breakfast." Dad stood up suddenly and before he left the table, took a long sip from his cup. He grabbed his coat from the peg by the service porch door and was gone.

"My parents know." Clark said softly as he glanced at the closed door. "I never could fool them."

He saw her nod, but she wouldn't look at him. "Dad knows too. He thought something was up when he found my hairpins in the snow and probably figured we were necking."

"We nearly were." He reminded her.

"And _who_ stopped me?" She finally _did_ turn and raised a sleepy eyebrow at him.

"Guilty as charged." He admitted and couldn't take his eyes off of her. "But I _did_ manage to get you under the mistletoe."

"I think you've got that backward, Agent Kent." Lois approached him and put her coffee cup down on the table. "_I'm_ the one who got _you_ under the mistletoe."

He shook his head in disagreement. "When it's all said and done, does it really matter?"

"No." She answered him as she promptly seated herself in his lap and put her arms around his neck. "It doesn't matter."

"What are you doing?" Her action startled him, but he couldn't help but feel pleased that she wanted to be so close to him and he put his arms around her waist. "Our parents."

"Are not here at the moment." She finished for him. "And before they come back into the house, you're going to kiss me."

"And why would I do that?" He tried not to smile at her.

"Because it's Christmas and it's all I could think about after you left me last night." She leaned in and just when he thought she was going to do exactly that, he felt her cheek against his. "I didn't sleep very well."

"I didn't either." He sighed. "It's all I could think about too."

"What are we going to do?" She sat back and looked into his eyes.

"I have to figure out a way to finish this investigation so you can go home and we won't be faced with this temptation every night." He shrugged.

"Am I that much of a temptation?" Clark heard the teasing note in her voice as she smiled and he gave her a swift kiss.

"Lois."

"Just checking." She kissed him back before she stood up and took a seat next to him. He passed her coffee cup to her and as she took a sip, the door to the service porch opened and their parents walked in.

"Well isn't _this_ a scene of domestic bliss." General Lane stood by the table, smiling at them.

"Dad." Lois chided her father as she took another sip.

"You two are up awfully early." Clark's mother commented as she walked to the stove and refilled the cup that she'd been carrying in her hand. "I didn't think either of you would be up for awhile."

"I couldn't sleep." They answered in unison and the amusement on the faces of their parents made him shake his head.

"And why couldn't you sleep?" Dad asked.

"The cot." "Indigestion." Clark and Lois answered again, together and he heard Lois sigh as they laughed.

"Honestly." She sat back and folded her arms across her chest.

"Everyone grab their cups and go out to the parlor." Mom smiled as she nudged Clark's father out of the kitchen. "We'll open presents and then if Lois would be good enough to help me, we can have breakfast."

"Lois?" "Me?" And they looked at each other before Lois rolled her eyes.

"Maybe you two should think about taking your act on the road." Lois's father grinned.

"Very funny, Dad." She frowned.

"Lighten up Lo, it's Christmas." Her father smiled at her, took her hand and pulled her out of her chair. "Let's go open some presents."

Clark watched them go and shook his head again; they weren't going to make this easy.

"Come on, son. Let's see what Santa brought all of us." His father called him from the parlor and he got up to follow them.

His mother was already seated in front of the tree and started to hand out the gifts as Lois and her father settled on the couch while his father took the overstuffed chair and he sat down near the fire.

Exclamations of surprise and heartfelt thank you's were heard over the following half-hour as the family members tore wrapping paper and bows off of boxes to see what they 'd received.

"Lo, how in the hell did you manage this?" Clark looked over at the General to see what he was commenting about and he saw a box of cigars in his hands. "I called in nearly every favor I had coming to find these and couldn't."

The pleased look on her face pleased Clark and he smiled. "I know you've been having trouble finding the brand you like, so I called in a few favors of my own. Merry Christmas, Daddy." And she leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"It certainly is." He smiled back as he closed the lid and kissed her cheek in return. "Thank you."

Clark's attention was drawn to his mother looking under the tree and wondered why because all of the presents had been opened. "Mom?"

She looked at him, puzzled. "I can't find your gift for Lois or hers for you."

He and Lois glanced at each other and she shrugged. "We already exchanged gifts."

"When did you do that?" His father smiled at him.

"I gave something to her yesterday morning." _That was smooth, Clark._

He nodded. "And when did Lois give you _her_ gift?"

"After dinner last night." He glanced at Lois again and she was looking down at her hands.

"Were they something you both wanted?" Mom's voice was gentle and when Clark looked at her, she had a soft smile on her face.

He nodded.

"That's good." She answered before she stood up. "Clark, if you and your father would collect the paper and boxes, you can take them to the incinerator for me after we eat."

"Sure, Mom."

"I'm going upstairs to get dressed." Lois stood up and looked at Clark's mother. "Don't start anything until I get back."

"Don't worry honey, it'll keep." She put a hand on Lois' arm. "It'll keep."

oooooo

After a leisurely breakfast that had Clark and Lois at the receiving end of seemingly endless smiles and ribbing, they gathered back together at Fort Ryan that evening with his parents and were guests of Lois's father in the Officer's Dining room. As General Lane told them, it had become a tradition for the officers to open up the dining room to the non-commissioned officers and enlisted men who weren't able to get leave for Christmas.

They were treated to the same fare that officers usually took for granted and the young men looked suitably impressed as they were seated around the room in their Class A uniforms.

"A lot of these boys are barely out of high school." The General commented as they finished their meal. "And sooner rather than later, most of them will be sent overseas."

"Is it all right to ask where they'll be going?" Mom looked concerned and Clark knew it was the mother in her that worried about the soldiers they were sharing Christmas dinner with.

"It's difficult to know Martha." He answered. "It just all depends on where the manpower is needed."

She nodded just before she sighed. "They're all so young."

"That's true." He agreed. "That's why it's so important that they have an evening like this. It gives them a chance to be young before this war turns them all into old men."

_What could any of them say to that?_

Clark saw Lois reach over and put her hand on her fathers for a moment before she picked up her wineglass. It was such a subtle gesture, but to him it spoke volumes about how much she understood what her father was feeling.

"My apologies." He glanced at Clark's parents and him. "This is Christmas and it's not the time for worrying about where those boys are headed."

"Or you." Lois said quietly and glanced at her father.

It was the General's turn to put his hand on hers. "I'm not being shipped out yet; so try not to worry."

"General Lane."

Clark knew that voice.

"Lieutenant Queen, what can I do for you?" The General looked up and who did Clark see but his adjutant. _Terrific. _

"Sir, we just received a message from Kansas City for Agent Kent."

"For me?" He'd contacted the field office before they left the house to let them know where he would be, but he never really thought there would be a reason for them to get in touch with him.

"The call came in about ten minutes ago." The lieutenant held out an envelope to Clark.

"Kansas City?" He was surprised to hear Lois's voice as he took it.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll take this outside." Clark stood up and in front of his parents, her father and Lieutenant Queen, held his hand out to Lois. "Care to join me?"

The look of surprise on her face was evident as she stood up, but didn't hesitate to take the hand he offered. _He _was surprised she actually did it and as her hand curled around his, he tightened his grip and walked her out to the foyer.

"So let's see what it says." She let go of his hand and waited for him to open the envelope and pull out the folded message. When he read it, he didn't know what to make of it.

_He was being ordered to Kansas City. _

"It doesn't say why." Clark frowned at the cryptic language. "All it says is that the field director wants to meet with me."

"Maybe there's been a break in the case." She offered as he folded the message back up and tucked it inside his breast pocket.

"There's only one way to find out." He took her hand again. "I have to go and talk to the director."

"When do you have to report?"

"He wants me there the day after tomorrow. Which means that I have to be on a train tomorrow morning." She slipped her hand out of his and walked toward the main doors.

"It's almost over, isn't it?" She sounded so lost and it unnerved him because it wasn't like Lois to be so uncertain. He followed her and put his hands on her shoulders to try and reassure her.

"Nothing's over Lois." He pulled her gently back against his chest. "As far as I can tell, things are just getting started."

"How long will you be gone?"

He shook his head. "I'm not really sure; it all depends on what the director has to say."

"And then it's just a matter of time before you have to go back to Washington." Lois sighed and seemed to try and burrow herself against him.

"Let's take one thing at a time, all right? I'm not going anywhere just yet."

"But you will eventually." Her head went back on his shoulder.

"Lois." He sighed because he didn't know what else to say.

"Agent Kent, Miss Lane?" Lieutenant Queen's voice called them from the doorway of the dining room and Clark sighed again as the officer walked toward them. "They're about to start serving dessert and coffee. The General has asked me to let you know that you're expected back inside."

"We know." He refused to move because Lois wasn't ready to.

"Lieutenant, why aren't you home with your family?" Lois asked him from the shelter of Clark's body.

"New transfers don't usually get holiday leave right away." He explained. "If I haven't been shipped out by next Christmas, I'll get the chance to go home."

"Merry Christmas, Lieutenant." She told him.

"Merry Christmas to you too Miss Lane, Agent Kent." And he passed them by as he walked out of the dining room.

"Come on Lois; let's get back in there." He stepped away from her before he took her hand. "They're going to start thinking that it's bad news."

"Isn't it?" She looked at him and he could see how worried she was.

But worried about _what _exactly?

"If this meeting means that I can finally wrap up this case, then I'd say it's very _good_ news." He told her as they began to walk.

"Clark?" And she stopped him with a tug on his hand.

"What is it?"

She seemed to think about what she was about to say before she shook her head. "Never mind."

"Lois?"

She shook her head again. "It's not important."

"Are you sure you don't want to tell me?"

"Yes." Lois said with a decisive nod and she gave him a weak smile. "Come on, there's a piece of pumpkin pie in there with my name on it."

"Never let it be said that I kept you away from pumpkin pie." He smiled at her in encouragement and walked her back to the table.

"Is everything all right, son?" His father asked as Clark held Lois' chair for her and she sat down.

"I've been called to Kansas City." He explained as he stood behind his own chair. "The director wants to talk to me, but the message didn't say exactly why."

"Maybe they have some information to help you with your case." His mother wondered and Clark shrugged.

"I'll know more in a couple of days." He told her. "I need to catch the first train out in the morning to get there on time, so if you'll excuse me I think I'll call it a night and head back to the farm."

He knew from the expression on her face that Lois wasn't expecting it, but she didn't say anything for a moment. "In that case, why don't you take your bed tonight. Since Dad will be staying here, I can take the sofa."

"I can't ask you to do that." Clark protested.

"You're not asking; I'm volunteering." She was insistent. "You need to get a good night's sleep if you're going to be getting up so early."

He saw their parents glance at each other as they tried not to smile, which Lois didn't miss.

"What?" She frowned at them.

Clark didn't bother hiding his smile as got his coat from the coat rack by their table. "I'll see you at home later." He told his parent's and kissed Lois' cheek. "Thank you."

"Drive carefully. It's starting to snow again." She cautioned.

"Will do." He promised as he put his coat on and looked at his parents. "You be careful yourselves."

"We'll be fine Clark." His father reassured him. "Just get home now."

"Sure thing, Dad." He put his hand out to Lois' father. "Thank you for your hospitality, General Lane."

"It was my pleasure, son." He took the hand Clark offered and shook. "I'm only returning the favor."

He nodded and without another word, turned for the exit. He made it as far as the doorway when he felt the softness of a warm hand slip into his and he squeezed. Lois walked with him to the main doors and stopped.

"I'll probably be in bed by the time you get home, so I'll say goodnight now." He put his arms around her.

"I could always come in and say goodnight to you." She smiled at him, the first real smile he'd seen since he'd gotten the message and he shook his head.

"Negative." He leaned in. "Because if you come into my bedroom, there's no guarantee that I'll let you leave."

"And that would be a bad thing?" She laughed softly.

"Lois." He shook his head.

"I didn't think so."

"Goodnight." Her arms wound their way around his neck as he kissed her and she sighed. "Merry Christmas, Lois."

"Merry Christmas, Clark." She answered him as he let her go. "Sleep well."

"I get to sleep in my own bed tonight. I don't think that's going to be a problem." He grinned at her as he pushed the door open and stepped outside, leaving her to watch him walk into the dark.


	25. Return to Kansas City

She couldn't figure out why the room was so light, because Lois was sure that the fire had burned down before she drifted off to sleep. It was warmer, too and there could only be one reason for that. And as she opened her eyes she understood why, when she saw Clark standing in front of the fireplace.

He had the poker in his hand and was jabbing at the logs, making the flames burn brighter. But there was something in his stance that gave Lois the feeling he wasn't trying to keep the fire going as much as wrestling with something on his mind. So she tossed back the blankets and got up off the couch to see if she could help.

He set the poker aside as she walked behind him and put her arms around him. She laid her cheek against his back and felt him start, just before his hands covered hers. "You're not wearing a robe, aren't you cold?"

"No." Lois shook her head because it was true; _he _was keeping her warm. And she sighed contentedly when she felt his lips on the backs of her fingers as he kissed them softly.

"You should be sleeping." His voice was quiet.

"So should you." She rubbed her cheek against the warm fabric of his tee shirt. "You have to be on a train in a few hours."

"It's almost over." He sounded tired as he gripped her hands.

_Hadn't she said the same thing earlier that evening?_

"Nothing's over Clark." She tried to reassure him with his own words and a squeeze of her fingers. "You're the one who said that, remember?"

Lois felt his shoulders hunch together and she could hear the resignation in his voice. "I've been standing here, thinking about that meeting. And I haven't been able to shake the feeling that it's going to get me sent back to Washington."

"If it does, then it does." How was it that their roles had reversed and now she was the one trying to reassure _him_? "There's this invention called the telephone, you know."

"We'll be lucky if we get two minutes on a long distance line."

"Well it's better than no communication at all." She tried to reason with him. "And there are these things called letters."

It was so strange to hear the uncertainty in his voice because he was usually so certain about everything. But he hadn't declared himself to her before and their situation was so new and fragile that he might be concerned that a separation would prove their feelings just as fragile.

"What are you so worried about?" She asked him curiously.

"When I go back to Washington, that means that I have to leave you and I don't know if I can do that." Lois felt his grip on her hands tighten.

"You aren't leaving me Clark, not really." She needed him to understand that as she snuggled against him.

He began to rub his thumbs across her fingers again and when he finally nodded, she hoped that she'd gotten through to him. "That's because I'll be leaving my heart behind."

Lois smiled at his admission and rubbed her cheek against his back again. "Then you've got nothing to be worried about." _Because he'd be taking hers with him, as well._

He took a deep breath and she sensed he wanted to say something, but didn't quite know how. "Unless you would consider coming with me?"

_Was he serious? _

Her heart began to beat unsteadily because there were so many ways she could take his question. "If I did, what would our living arrangements be?" She asked him bluntly, knowing he wouldn't expect anything less from her.

Clark pushed her hands away from him and turned suddenly only to grab her shoulders. His eyes drifted down hesitantly, appraising her lightly clad body and his face reddened with a blush before he met her eyes again. She could see that he was upset and he let her know it. "Is that what you think I meant?"

"It's a fair question." She stood her ground, wanting to hear it from him even as his eyes drifted down again. She should have thought to put her robe on and chastised herself for allowing her nightdress become a distraction. She tucked her fingers under his chin and raised his face, forcing their eyes to meet. "My eyes are up here."

And to her surprise he smiled. "And such pretty eyes they are too."

_What a sap, but he was _her_ sap._

"Lois, I didn't mean _that. _And it surprises me that you would think I did." His arms slipped around her waist as hers wound around his neck. "What I meant was that you could come back, get a job and your own place in a rooming house so at least we could see each other." And he added, as he seemed to realize something. "When I'm in town. It would all be perfectly respectable."

She'd thought earlier that night about asking him if he would consider making his temporary transfer permanent, but couldn't bring herself to actually do it. It felt selfish on her part to ask him to change his whole life just because she asked. But with his suggestion of her joining him in Washington, she thought it was the right time to bring it up.

Because when he left her alone, as he'd surely have to because of the nature of his job, she'd rather be near her father and his parents. Not alone in a city she hadn't seen since the General's year-long tour with the War Department when she was fifteen.

"I could, but wouldn't you be happier if you came back here?" She looked at him. "Your mother told me that you haven't sounded so at ease since you've been home and that makes her happy."

He grinned at her. "If I _did_ come back, what would our living arrangements be?"

"Not this." She smiled back at him.

"Then what's the point?" He laughed and pulled her gently against him. "Because I kind of like this."

She wasn't about to give the satisfaction of agreeing with him and leaned back in his arms. "If you came back, you'd be closer to your parents, too."

His smile softened and he nodded. "That would be another _very_ good reason to come home."

"Just something to think about while you're on that train tomorrow." She shrugged.

"There _is_ something else I'd rather think about on that long trip." He drew her closer and Lois rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm sure there is."

"It'll give _you_ something to think about while I'm gone." His voice dropped to a husky whisper as he pulled her against him. Lois knew immediately that she should have put a stop to the intimate situation she found herself in, with him in his tee shirt and pajama bottoms and she in her nightdress. It was wrong that they were tempting fate as they were but when his head dipped, her eyes closed.

His lips caught hers in a warm caress as his hands began to roam the contours of her back and the gentle motion of both seemed to bring her to him as she kissed him back. And as he continued to draw her closer against him, his body clearly told her where his thoughts were headed.

Clark obviously knew it too because Lois suddenly found herself without the warmth of his body surrounding her and when she opened her eyes, he was back in front of the fireplace. It shouldn't have surprised her as it did, but it had and her face burned with a flush because of it.

She quickly turned for the sofa and grabbed her robe, which she should have done in the first place, pulled it on and cinched the belt before joining him. "I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "I should have known better."

"It's my fault." She wouldn't let him take the blame and sighed before she carefully took his hand in hers. "I was the one who created this situation."

"I wasn't complaining." He glanced down with a bashful smile before pulling his hand out of hers to put his arm around her. "It's just the kind of sendoff a fellow dreams of."

"Something tells me that you were thinking about another kind of sendoff." She teased.

"It _did_ cross my mind." He admitted before his expression sobered. "But I couldn't help but wonder what you would think of me if I let it happen."

It suddenly dawned on Lois why he was being so careful with her, being so much more circumspect then he usually was. He was afraid she would think less of him if she believed he was trying to coax her into his bed when he'd allowed himself to be coaxed into someone else's.

"Our situation is different, Clark." She tried to ease his mind. "And I think you already knew that."

He let go of her and began to pace. "This isn't so much about _that_ as it is about the fact that I've bent and broken more rules than I care to think about.

"As Federal agents, we're supposed to remain professional at all times and that means that we aren't supposed to get personally involved with witnesses. And we _sure_ as hell aren't supposed to bring them home to stay with our families.

"My original plan was to bring you out here only for a day or two until I could arrange to get you to a safe house. But when you hit it off so well with my parents, especially my mother, I couldn't bring myself to move you. And then _I_ managed to get personally involved when I made the mistake of making you a part of my cover. "

"But the Bureau knows that I'm here." Lois watched as he moved back and forth, clearly agitated.

"They do."

And then it struck her. _They might not know _Clark_ was there._

"Would it be fair to say that you've been leaving out a crucial detail in your reports on the investigation?"

"You mean the small detail of my being _here_?" And he stopped mid-pace to fold his arms across his chest.

"What else were you supposed to do?" She didn't quite understand what the problem was.

"What I was _supposed_ to do was disqualify myself from this case when I knew that I was falling for you. I was supposed to contact Washington and tell them that they needed to send another agent back to finish the case because I couldn't be objective about it. That's what I was _supposed _to do."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because then I would have had to tell them _why_ I'd lost my objectivity." He explained to her. "And it would have meant that I'd have to admit to breaking the cardinal rule of being a Federal agent; I forgot that I was a Federal agent. "

"How much trouble could you get into if they find out?"

"I don't know." He shrugged. "But if this meeting _does_ send me back, it won't matter."

"What on _earth_ are the two of you doing up at this hour?" Lois turned toward the low voice of Clark's mother and saw her standing at the bottom of the stairs. "It's nearly three o'clock."

"I'm sorry if we woke you up, Mom." Clark apologized to her. "I couldn't sleep."

"So because you couldn't sleep you woke up Lois?" She walked into the parlor and came to a stop in front of them.

"He didn't mean wake me up, Mrs. Kent." Lois took a step forward; ready to defend him "He _was_ trying to be quiet."

"And I can see how successful _that_ was." She was trying not to smile and that made Lois want to smile. "Clark, I don't suppose I need to remind you that you're train leaves Smallville at 8:15? Which means that you and your dad have to be out of the house by 7:45."

"I'm all packed and ready to go." Lois heard Clark's voice behind her.

"So what do you plan on doing? Staying up for the rest of the night?" Mrs. Kent folded her arms across her chest and it startled Lois to see Clark in her stance.

"I can sleep on the train." He sounded a little defensive and she could almost see him hunching up his shoulders.

"Or you can go back upstairs and get a few hours of sleep and let _Lois_ get back to sleep, too." She raised her eyebrows and seemed to dare her son to argue with her.

"Or I could let Lois go back upstairs and _I'll_ stay down here on the sofa." He answered his mother's challenge and to Lois' surprise, Mrs. Kent rolled her eyes.

It was then she knew that she and Clark's mother had been spending too much time together.

_It was time for her to go home._

"Clark." She was beginning to sound exasperated with her only son, so Lois stepped in.

"It's all right, Mrs. Kent. If Clark wants to give up his nice comfortable bed for the sofa, I won't argue with him."

She frowned. "Are you sure it's all right?"

Lois nodded. "Besides, I think that's why he couldn't sleep, he missed the sofa."

"I'm sure that's the reason, honey." Mrs. Kent laughed softly. "Well, I came down for a glass of water so while I'm doing that, Lois can go upstairs. It's much too late for any of us to be up."

"Goodnight, Mrs. Kent." Lois headed out of the parlor as Clark's mother walked toward the kitchen.

"Goodnight, Lois." She answered.

As Lois started up the stairs, she saw Clark glance out into the kitchen before he made a beeline for the staircase. She stopped mid-ascent and waited for him. "Nice maneuver, Agent Kent."

"What?" He tried to plaster a look of innocence on his face, but she knew better.

"Don't look at me like that, you know exactly what I'm talking about." She smiled at him. "You gave me your room so that you could come up and say goodbye before you leave."

"Lois, did it ever occur to you that I was just trying to be a gentleman?" He grinned.

"No." She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Because the last couple of times you've been in that room with me, you've been slightly less than a gentleman."

"You could always lock the door."

"I could. But if I did, then you wouldn't be able to come say goodbye." Lois ran a hand down his cheek. "In the meantime, I need to say goodnight."

"Sleep well." He grasped her hand and held it in his for a moment.

"You too." She replied as he let her go and turned back down the stairs. Lois turned back up, continued down the hallway and into Clark's room.

She closed the door behind her and his bedside lamp was on. The blankets were tossed back and she could see the rumpled sheets where his restless body had tossed and turned, trying to find a comfortable position so that he could find rest.

Lois stood at the side of the bed, hesitating to get in. She'd slept in his bed nearly every night for close to three weeks, but this was the first time _he'd_ slept in it. She was again struck with how intimate the situation was because she would be lying where he'd been.

_It's just a bed, Lois. _She told herself as she pulled her robe off and tossed it on the foot of the bed. _It's just _his_ bed._

She drew in a soft breath before she sat down on the edge and slipped underneath the sheet and blankets. She turned off the lamp and when she settled into bed, the sheets were cold against her body. But as she closed her eyes and burrowed in, she imagined that his arms were around her and was able to find the rest that had eluded him.

oooooo

Lois didn't know what time it was when she heard the door open and she rolled over, knowing who it was.

Sure enough, Clark slipped through the door and closed it quietly behind him and walked toward the bed, looking surprised that she was awake.

"I don't know why you insist on sneaking in here. Your parents know where you are." She didn't quite have her voice and thought she sounded like a bullfrog.

He was already dressed and the only thing missing was his suit jacket. She'd wager it was hanging on the back of a kitchen chair, waiting until he finished with breakfast.

"I'm not sneaking." He smiled at her as he sat down. "I told them that I was coming up to say goodbye and Mom said not to take too long or my eggs would get cold."

"Ever the pragmatist, your mother."

"Have you forgotten about all of those starving kids in China already?"

"_You_ haven't, apparently."

"Only because you were the one that mentioned it in the first place."

"So I did."

The banter came so easily to them now, that it had become second nature. And she couldn't help but wonder if they'd have the chance to banter together again.

"This isn't goodbye Lois, not by a long shot." He seemed to have regained his confidence as he brushed back her hair. "I like doing that."

"I know you do." She reached up to run her hand down his cheek. "I like doing that too."

A light flush spread across his face as his smile softened. "I know you do."

"You'd better get back downstairs." She sighed as she glanced over at the bedside clock; it was 7:20. "You don't have much time."

"You wouldn't consider coming to the station, would you?" He took her hand in his, to persuade her and it wasn't going to work.

"And get out of this nice warm bed to go out in that bitter cold? I don't think so." She feigned a frown.

"Not even for me?" He grinned mischievously.

"I wouldn't do it for President Roosevelt." She laughed.

"Now _there's _a backhanded compliment, if ever I heard one." He shook his head.

"There was nothing backhanded about it, buster. Now kiss me and get out of here before your mother comes looking for you."

"As soon as I know something, I'll call you." He deflected her request, as he seemed to stall for time.

"And waste two whole minutes?" Lois shook her head. "Just wait until you get home to drop the bomb."

"Will do." He nodded.

"Clark?"

"Hmm?"

"You need to go now, that train won't wait."

He nodded again. "I know."

"Well then?" If he didn't look so serious, Lois would have been sorely tempted to laugh. But it seemed to give him the encouragement he needed because he leaned over and kissed her. She wanted so much to put her arms around his neck and kiss him back, but he needed to get back downstairs.

"I'll be back in a few days." He sat up and he was smiling.

"I'll be here." She smiled back.

He seemed reluctant to stand up, but he finally did and walked to the bedroom door before he turned back to look at her. "Are you sure you won't come to the station?"

"Would you go?" She told him as she pointed toward the door.

"I'm going." He sighed dramatically and opened the door.

"Have a safe trip." She called after him softly.

He stepped out into the hall and turned around. "I will; now go back to sleep. And Lois?"

"What?"

"Just remember that I didn't wake you up this time." He grinned just before he closed the door.

_Not _this _time. _Lois smiled as she closed her eyes and slowly drifted back to sleep.


	26. The Bureau Comes Clean

"Special Agent Kent, Director Kelly is ready to see you now."

Clark picked up his hat and stood before he surreptitiously stretched. The trip from Smallville took longer than he'd anticipated because there were several times that the train he was traveling on was delayed to make way for troop trains headed to California and New York.

It startled him to see all of the young faces in those passenger cars, but then he remembered what Lois' father had said about so many of those kids being just out of high school.

A lot of them looked like they were barely out of _middle_ school.

"Agent Kent?"

"Thank you." He gave himself a mental shake as he walked to the director's office with his hat gripped in his hand and turned the doorknob.

As he entered, the field director of the Kansas City office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation came from behind his desk with his hand extended and he took Clark's in a firm grasp. "Special Agent Kent, thank you for getting here so quickly; I'm Thomas Kelly. Have a seat please."

He sat down and perched his hat on his knee while he waited for the director to take his seat.

"I know you're probably wondering why you've been called back here and on a Saturday, no less. But this was something that couldn't be explained in a telegram or a telephone call. And with security concerns being what they are because of the war, I felt this would be a much more secure way of explaining some things to you about the last couple of months.

"I called you here because of some information I recently received from Washington concerning your investigation. Information that for some reason you nor I was privy to until now."

"Sir?" _They couldn't know about Lois, could they?_

"Agent Kent, the case you were sent out here to investigate has been officially closed." He was succinct in his brief explanation and left Clark completely baffled.

"How can it be closed when I'm still trying to gather information?"

"Which you've been stonewalled about, have you not?" He asked pointedly.

"Yes, sir. And I'm guessing that you're going to be able to explain to me why?"

"Kent, you and I have been played for a couple of chumps." The director leveled a look at him and was deadly serious. "But you didn't hear that from me."

"Sir?"

"Do you know what this is?" He picked up a thick file folder from his desk for just a moment before he slapped it back down and answered his own question. "This is a file on an operation the Bureau initiated from Washington and it indicates that you were sent out here on a strictly need to know basis."

"Excuse me?" _That was news to him._

"Why _do_ you think you were sent out here?"

Clark frowned in confusion. "I was sent out here to conduct an investigation about a meeting between Lex Luthor and Senator Conrad Burke. I was told there were strong suspicions that the senator was connected to the leaks coming from the War Department."

"And part of your investigation was to interview a girl that works at the _Falcon_ and who overheard one of their conversations."

"Yes." _What exactly was he getting at?_

"That whole thing was a set up, a sting operation to be exact."

"What?" _He couldn't be serious._

"You and I and that singer were led to believe something that wasn't what it seemed."

"A sting operation?" Clark sat across the desk from his superior, in disbelief.

"You heard me correctly." Director Kelly sat back in his chair and sighed. "Kent, you were given a case that you were never meant to solve."

"Then why in the hell was I sent out here?"

"Let me start from the beginning of this whole charade and hopefully it will make more sense." He was told and Clark nodded as the director opened the file folder.

"Our esteemed senator from Kansas, Conrad Burke likes to frequent the _Falcon _when he's in Smallville. The fact is he likes to frequent _any_ nightclub in this state that has cheap liquor and pretty girls. But what he doesn't seem to realize is, that cheap liquor loosens his tongue and he starts to talk. And a few months ago during some of his evenings there, he began to talk quite openly about his less than honorable activities.

"The fellow who runs the _Falcon_." And he looked at the file. "Lionel Luthor, contacted Washington with the information. He volunteered the services of his son Alexander with the stipulation that the Bureau drop a criminal investigation that was pending against him. The idea being that cooperation in bringing down a treasonous senator should count in his son's favor."

"There was scuttlebutt when I got here that we had him for racketeering and prostitution."

The director frowned. "And that was the deal the old man cut for the kid because we _were_ investigating him for racketeering and building a solid case against him."

_The whole thing didn't make any sense. _

"So on the promise of a bartender, we're going to let a guy who's made his money illegally and sells women for sexual purposes get off scot-free? That goes against everything we were trained for."

"We have to look at the bigger picture here, Kent. With his cooperation, we bag a senator who could do real damage to the war effort if he isn't caught." And he sat back again. "Think about it. If we don't catch this bastard, not only could he keep leaking information to the Germans, but to the Japs as well. Information that's vital to our fighting a two front war could and will be compromised if we don't take Burke out."

"So how is it that a small town bartender has so much influence?"

"You don't know who Lionel Luthor is, do you?"

"Should I?"

The director sat up again. "He was only one of the biggest bootleggers in the mid-west not so long ago. The _Falcon_ was a speakeasy until Prohibition was repealed in 1933 and when his wife died four years ago he went straight. Said it was because of a promise he made to her.

"He wanted to get rid of all his illegal holdings outright but with some veiled threats from his son, they were turned over to him a few months after Mrs. Luthor's death. The only thing Mr. Luthor insisted on keeping for himself to run was the _Falcon_ because that was the one business that had gone legit. It turns a nice profit and gives the younger Luthor an air of honesty."

Clark nodded. "That would explain Miss Lane's comment about how the _Falcon_ was such a popular place to work." _It felt so odd to call her that now_. "Mr. Luthor said that he didn't run the type of place that provided extra benefits. That must mean that his son does with the places _he_ runs."

"Unfortunately, that's all still hearsay and until we get solid evidence, we can't touch him."

"So _we_ get a senator and in exchange, what does Luthor get?"

"He gets to _not_ go to Federal prison." He frowned again. "It's too bad really. I would have loved to see him rotting away next to Burke in Leavenworth. But on the bright side, while we can't get him on the racketeering we _can_ still go after him on the prostitution in his clubs. That was old man's concession to us."

"Sir, with all due respect you still haven't told me why Mr. Luthor has the influence he does."

"It's not influence, Kent. Part of his journey back to the straight and narrow was becoming an informant for us. It's all very unofficial and under the table because we don't want there to be a paper trail to lead back to him and have that avenue of information dry up.

"He's been invaluable to us since he went straight because of contacts he's maintained. And the deeper his son gets into trouble; the more he's trying to help him find his way out. He thought that by helping us trap Senator Burke, the younger Luthor would see the good he can do and maybe begin to see the light."

"Do you think he will?" Clark didn't know why he was asking.

"The hell if I know." He shrugged.

"So what exactly is Lex doing in this sting on the senator?"

The director turned a page in the file and appeared to be looking for the information. "Here it is. He has a certain spot at the bar he frequents when he's doing business at the _Falcon_ and sound equipment was set up in such a way as to pick up and record their conversations. It's been his job to ply the senator with drinks and bring him around to talking about his activities. He needed to get the senator to speak as specifically as possible so that he couldn't weasel his way out when this thing goes to court."

"Do you think it'll get that far?"

"With the information we've gathered, I don't see how the senator can explain his way out of it. And if he tries to grease some palms and gets caught, he's only going to make it worse on himself."

Clark nodded in bewilderment at the volume of information that he was hearing. "So in all of this information we're being given, what was the purpose of my interviewing Miss Lane?"

"Your purpose never was to interview her, but to protect her." The director revealed and Clark remembered the shots that were fired the night they met. "Mr. Luthor called Washington after the sting was underway with a serious concern about his singer. He said that she'd gotten a little too curious about what was going on and he overheard his son talking to someone about taking care of her.

"The younger Luthor said that she was going to mess up his deal with the Feds if she kept nosing around and arranged to have her eliminated."

"So what was the point of my coming back five weeks before our interview and setting up a cover in Metropolis, if my assignment all along was to protect her?"

"The Bureau felt the fewer people who knew about the operation lessened the chance of it being compromised. So as far as you and I knew, you were back here to investigate the conversations between Luthor and the senator while undercover as a reporter."

"They didn't trust me." He shook his head with a sigh.

"Negative." The director was emphatic. "Your superiors in Washington told me that you're one of the best agents they have, but it goes back to keeping that circle of information small. What you don't seem to realize is that having you protect that girl was something you were hand picked for.

"According to your service record, you've never had a witness injured or killed that you were assigned to protect. And knowing that, they gave you this."

"It still doesn't answer my question." Lois's life had been in danger and he wasn't there.

"To put it simply, they took a gamble."

"With someone's life!" It was just starting to dawn on him that he might have lost her before he ever got the chance to know her.

"Yes." Mr. Kelly didn't disagree. "And it was only after several mishaps, as they called them, started to occur in the close proximity of Miss Lane that you were needed at the _Falcon_."

"She never mentioned it."

"That's because she probably didn't realize it." He theorized. "Mr. Luthor was keeping his eye on her and was able to keep her out of harms way. But it seemed the more he tried to look after her, the attempts became more bold."

"She did say that he was overprotective." Clark was going to have to shake Lionel Luthor's hand when it was all over. "But the boldness of the attempts would explain why the shots that were taken at her. I figured at the time that they were just to scare her."

The director shook his head. "According to what Mr. Luthor overheard after it happened, the shooter was wide on his first try because it was so dark and because of your quick action, the second shot missed her."

He slumped back in his chair as the gravity of the situation finally sunk in. "Oh my god."

"Agent Kent?"

_Come on Clark, pull yourself together._

"There was a silencer on the gun." He'd forgotten about that. "If all the shooter had meant to do was scare her, he wouldn't have bothered."

The director seemed to consider that piece of information. "Well, if we can find the fellow who pulled the trigger, maybe we can get him to sell Luthor out and add conspiracy to commit murder to the growing list of his transgressions."

"Just tell me what you want me to do." Clark sat up and began to fidget nervously with his hat.

"I want you to go back to your hotel and get some sleep; you look like hell." The director cracked a smile and stood up. "Berths on sleeping cars aren't the most comfortable accommodations."

_His parent's sofa wasn't much better. _Clark couldn't help but think and had to make a concerted effort not to smile. He picked his hat up from his knee and stood up as well. "It beats sitting up, which I've also had to do."

"We _all_ have at one time or another." He commented as he came from around the desk and walked to his office door, effectively ending their meeting. "You did a fine job with your part in this operation, Kent because you kept a girl safe who did the right thing. So the next time you speak with her, tell her how much I appreciate her bravery in what she did."

It was then that Clark allowed himself to smile. "I don't know if she would look at it that way, but I'll be sure to relay your thanks."

"It _was_ brave, because I don't think she really understood what she was getting herself into."

"So what happens now, with her?"

"She stays put on your parents farm." He directed. "And you go back to being a reporter for the time being because we have to maintain the charade as it stands to keep Miss Lane safe. Luthor is still a threat to her until the operation is complete and we've arrested Burke."

"Even without a case to investigate?"

"Well according to Perry White, if you didn't already have a job with the FBI he'd hire you as one of his reporters without hesitation."

_He'd spoken with Mr. White?_

"Are you saying that I should be a real reporter for awhile?"

"As opposed to what you've already been doing?"

"That was a cover."

"And it was a cover you took seriously." The director smiled at him. "Think of this as honing a skill that might come in handy again."

"I'll be happy to be able to go back to what I was doing before all of this started." It was then that Clark saw the opportunity to talk about a transfer because he might not get another chance. "But if it's all the same to you, I'd like to be able to do that job _here_."

"You've enjoyed seeing your folks again, haven't you?"

_If he only knew the half of it._

Clark nodded. "Seeing my parents and being back in Kansas; I didn't realize how much I'd missed it until I was out here."

The director walked back to his desk and picked up a pen. He scribbled something down and after he put his pen back down on the desk, rejoined Clark at the door. "I'll draw up the paperwork to request a permanent transfer before you leave for Smallville. When were you planning on returning?"

"I hadn't set a firm day because I didn't know exactly what was going to happen when I got here."

"That was good thinking. You _will_ more than likely have to return to Washington for awhile when your current transfer expires at the end of this case. But I could use a good agent like you here, and I'll do everything I can to expedite the matter."

"I appreciate that, sir. And I know my parents will too." And _Lois_, he hoped.

"If anything changes about the operation before you leave, I'll contact you and relay any instructions from Washington." He opened the door and put out his hand.

"Thank you for telling me all of this." Clark took it and they shook. "I guess the Bureau felt we finally needed to know this?"

"They knew how frustrated you'd gotten with the lack of cooperation and felt it was time you were given the true nature of your assignment."

"Is this something I can discuss with my parents and Miss Lane? Because I won't be able to keep this from them for long."

He nodded. "Go ahead and tell them. They have just as much a right to know."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now get out of here and go get some rest." Mr. Kelly clapped him on the shoulder for a moment before Clark walked out of the office and the door was closed behind him.

oooooo

_He could feel her softness pressed against him and the warmth of her hands roaming his back as her lips answered his heated kiss. Her fingers skimmed over his skin with a feather light touch that was making him think of things he shouldn't. And when her hands suddenly left him, he broke their kiss to protest only to smile as those hands grabbed the edge of his tee shirt and pulled on it. _

_He assisted her as quickly as he could by pulling it off and was rewarded with a deep flush as she slowly appraised him. He could see that she appreciated what she saw and wasted no time reaching for her so he could feel her hands on him again._

_But as he kissed her, he was distracted from her gentle touch because there was an annoying ringing in his ears that wouldn't go away._

Clark's eyes snapped open when he realized that the telephone next to his bed was ringing. He didn't appreciate being wakened from such a pleasant dream and grabbed the receiver. "This had better be good." He barked.

"_You weren't sleeping, were you?" _It was just the voice he wanted to hear and he smiled sleepily.

"So what if I was?"

"_Do you have any idea what time it is?" _Lois asked him and it sounded as though she were trying not to laugh.

Clark glanced at his wristwatch and realized he'd been asleep for the better part of three hours. "It's three in the afternoon."

"_Clark, I didn't decide to waste two minutes to ask you what time it was." _She gently scolded and it made him smile all the more.

"Then why _did _you decide to waste two minutes?"

"_Because I couldn't wait for you to get home and wanted to see how your meeting went."_

He liked the way it sounded when she said _home_.

"It's a little too complicated to go into over the telephone and Mom and Dad need to hear this too. So as soon as I talk to Mr. Kelly, I'll be on the next train back to Smallville."

"_Mr. Kelly?" _

"He's the field director here in Kansas City and the fellow I had the meeting with this morning." He told her.

"_Are you going to have to go back to Washington like you thought?"_

"Only until my transfer comes through." He smiled again at the receiver when he didn't hear anything.

"_Transfer?" _She finally said

"That's what I said."

"_Really?" _She didn't sound as though she quite believed it.

"Really." Clark tried to reassure her.

"_Why?" _Was she kidding?

"Because you asked me to and because I wanted to."

"_You did that for _me_?" _He could hear the breathlessness in her voice and the familiar feel of goose bumps skimmed up his arms in response to it.

"Yes. And I did it for me and for my parents." He said honestly. "I've never liked being so far away from them and I probably wouldn't have had the nerve to ask if it hadn't been for you."

"_You're welcome." _Clark could almost see her smile on the other end of the long distance line.

"I miss you." His felt his face warm.

"_You've only been gone a couple of days." _And then she _did _laugh. _"I miss you too and I wish you'd come home."_

"As soon as I get things wrapped up here, I'll be on my way back." He promised her. "Would you let my parents know that I've got news for all of you?"

"_Sure thing."_

There was a knock at his door and Clark sighed in frustration. "I'm sorry Lois, but I have to go. There's someone at the door."

"_Let us know when you're on your way." _

"I will. I'll see you soon."

"_Goodbye." _He heard the line disconnect and put the receiver back in the cradle.

He got up off the bed and padded to the door. When he opened it, the desk clerk was standing in the hallway, with a folded piece of paper in his hand. "Mr. Kent, this message came in for you a few minutes ago."

"Thank you." He took the note and the clerk was gone. He closed his door before opening the note and it said simply 'Call your office'.

So he walked back to the bed and sat down to call the field office. He was put through to the director immediately and without preamble all Clark heard was, _"We got the bastard."_

"Sir?"

"_I just got a call about twenty minutes ago and was informed that Burke was arrested in his senate office late this morning. Apparently, the last conversation he had with Luthor a few days ago sealed the deal and the boys in Washington moved in and nabbed him. What I wouldn't have given to see that treasonous son of a bitch walked out in handcuffs."_

There was someone _else_ Clark would have liked to have seen that happen to. Especially since he was responsible for putting Lois's life in danger.

"_Don't worry Kent, we'll get him too. It's just a matter of time."_ The director seemed to understand his silence_. "If the old man can't get him to go straight, then nothing will. Personally, I think he's gone too far down the road to perdition for his father to save him."_

"I can't say that I disagree with you." Clark rubbed the bridge of his nose in exhaustion and more than ever just wanted to go home.

"_I also thought you'd like to know that your transfer papers are all drawn up. I had to promise to give my secretary a fat bonus for coming in on a Saturday to work, so if you want to hotfoot it over here we can get the damn things signed and she can go home. And so can I."_

"Does that mean that I can leave today?"

"_Well there isn't any other reason for you to stay, so the soonest train you want to grab for home after we take care of this, I say take it." _

"Thank you for everything Mr. Kelly; this will be good news for Miss Lane." He couldn't help but wonder if it would be good news for _them_.

"_It's good news all the way around my boy, that's for certain."_

"Give me twenty minutes and I'll be there." Clark had someone to call first.

"_I'll have a pen ready and waiting for you." _He heard the director chuckle just before he hung up.

Without a moments hesitation, he got the long distance operator on the line. "Operator, would you connect me to Smallville5-0225, please?"

_He was coming home._


	27. What the Future Holds

It was odd how working on a farm was becoming second nature to her and Lois couldn't help but laugh to herself about that.

Who would have ever dreamed that Lois Joanne Lane would be sitting on a milking stool in the middle of a cold, late December day milking a cow? But it needed to be done, what with Mr. Kent gone to the train station and Mrs. Kent in the middle of making lunch for all of them.

He'd missed the morning milking because a section of fence had come down during the previous night's snowstorm and needed to be repaired. Clark's father had told her the milking could keep until he got back; but Bessie seemed to have other ideas about that.

"I can do it." Lois had insisted to a dubious looking Mr. Kent. "I won't be as fast at it as you are, but I know how."

"Lois, helping Martha in the house is one thing." He'd started but Lois wouldn't let him finish.

"Dad taught us to pitch in and help whenever we saw the need for it." She'd refused to budge. "He always told us that if he could serve his country, we could certainly serve our neighbors."

"Lois." He wouldn't budge either.

"Mr. Kent, the longer you stand here objecting the longer Clark will have to wait at the station for you. And the longer Bessie will have to wait to be milked."

And he'd laughed out loud before putting an arm around her shoulders. "Only if you insist."

"I insist."

Lois shook her head with a smile as she recalled that earlier standoff and realized that she'd won. Well of _course_ she had, she was Sam Lane's daughter after all.

And then Sam Lane's daughter sneezed.

It didn't surprise her when she saw Shelby sitting next to her, his tail thumping in the dirt. "Hey, Shelby. What are you doing out here?"

Shelby answered her by resting his head on her thigh and she sneezed again.

"He _does_ like you Lois." She heard Mrs. Kent's gentle laugh and looked behind to see a large mug of coffee in her gloved hands. "I've heard Clark tell you that, and yet you still don't seem to believe him."

She took the mug Mrs. Kent held out to her and took a sip. _God, that tasted good. _"I do believe him and as much as that mutt makes me sneeze, I like him too."

Shelby looked up at her with his big eyes and Lois smiled at him. "But if you repeat that, I'll deny it."

"Does that go for me too?" The older woman asked with a barely concealed grin.

"With all due respect Mrs. Kent, that goes _double _for you because you can talk."

"Understood." She nodded as she proceeded to stroke Bessie's flank. "You've gotten really good at this for someone who's never lived on a farm before."

"Mr. Kent's a good teacher." Lois told her with a shrug and took another sip of the hot coffee. "He just makes all of this look so easy."

"I used to try and help him out here when we first got married, but I began to feel that I was more of a hindrance than a help." And when she flushed, Lois hid her smile behind the rim of the mug. "So we decided that it was better if I stay out of his line of sight while he was working."

"I'm sure he didn't mind."

"He didn't, and that was the problem." There was a reminiscent sparkle in her eye and Lois couldn't help but be a little envious. To have the chance to work side by side with a husband you adored and be able to see every day was something she'd never have.

"Every marriage is different, Lois." Mrs. Kent seemed to respond to the look she must have had on her face. "Ours is a little less than traditional only because Jonathan doesn't put on a suit and commute into Metropolis to work every day. And because of that we learned early on, that as much as we loved each other that there was such a thing as too much togetherness.

"We started to snipe at each other over the smallest things because we weren't given the time away to miss each other and appreciate what we had together. One night we had a particularly bad argument, I can't even remember what it was about now."

"Does Clark remember that?"

"Honey, it's because of that argument that we _got_ Clark." Mrs. Kent revealed quietly and her face went crimson.

Lois couldn't help it and she laughed. "Does he know that?"

"Jonathan and I never felt the need to tell him." Her face got rosier as she shook her head. "He was loved and wanted from the moment I found out that we were expecting and I think because of the circumstances of how he was conceived; we loved him all the more.

"It's ironic when I think about it now. We tried for months to have a baby and our timing never seemed to be right. But we were probably just trying too hard and forgetting what that closeness was really all about."

Mrs. Kent's frankness about her marriage to Clark's father was revealing and surprising. She wouldn't be talking so openly about such personal things if she didn't feel comfortable with the younger woman and it meant a lot to Lois.

"So we had this terrible argument." She continued. "We said things to each other in anger that we shouldn't have, but in it's own way changed our marriage for the better. Because out of that, we learned how to talk to each other and we made decisions about how we wanted the rest of our married life to go.

"Over the years, we adapted those decisions to suit our changing situations and we've never had an argument like that since."

"Martha!" Lois heard Mr. Kent's voice just outside the barn and Mrs. Kent put a gloved finger to her lips. Lois understood that she didn't want him knowing she'd revealed such personal information and nodded as Shelby lifted his head from her leg and took off at a run toward the sound of Mr. Kent's voice.

"We're in the barn." She called back and smiled. "I'm distracting Lois from finishing the milking."

"With hot coffee." Lois added as Mr. Kent and Clark walked into the barn, with the dog close at Clark's side.

"Young lady, are you still at that?" Mr. Kent grinned as he put an arm around his wife's shoulders.

"I told you I wasn't as fast as you are." She blushed self-consciously. "I'll get her milked eventually."

"By the time you finish, it'll be cottage cheese." Clark quipped as he stood next to his father, absently petting Shelby between his ears.

"And I suppose you could do better?" Lois raised an eyebrow at him.

"It may have been five years since I've had to milk a cow, but I _know_ I could do better." He folded his arms across his chest.

"Then prove it." Lois stood up with the mug in one hand as she indicated the stool with the other. "It's all yours, G-man."

She saw the Kent's glance at each other in amusement as Clark took her up on her challenge and shrugged out of his overcoat, handing it to his father. He unbuttoned his suit jacket and slipped it off before handing it to his mother.

"It really _will_ be cottage cheese if you take much longer." Lois remarked and took a sip of her coffee.

"Sarcasm doesn't become you Lois." He replied as he unbuttoned the cuffs of his shirtsleeves and rolled them up past his elbows. Then he unbuttoned his collar and loosened his tie before he finally sat down. "Let me show you how it's done."

"Milk away, farm boy."

"That's a new one." Clark laughed softly as Lois caught his mothers eye and they smiled at each other. He leaned forward and rest his cheek against the cow's flank as he reached underneath and then Lois heard the sound of fresh milk being squirted into the pail. "And _that_ is how you milk a cow."

"And that's exactly what she was doing before I interrupted her." Mrs. Kent laughed.

"Well son, the two of you seem to have this under control so I'll leave you to finish up." Mr. Kent turned for the barn door. "Don't take too long with that milking now."

"Yes, sir." From the sound of his voice, Lois could sense that he was trying not to laugh.

"Lois honey, why don't you stay out here and make sure he milks every drop out of that cow; we'll be in the house." She held her hand out for Lois' mug and after she took it, followed her husband out of the barn with Shelby close at her heels.

"You heard your mother, every drop." She leaned down close to his ear.

"Lois." His shoulders hunched up and she backed away.

_Don't start something you can't finish, Lo._

"You got home sooner than we expected." She finally said.

"Things wrapped up sooner than _I_ expected." Was all he would say and he glanced back at her. "Aren't you happy to see me?"

Lois shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't even know that you were gone."

"Uh-huh." He chuckled and turned back to resume milking. "Then why did you tell me that you missed me?"

"You're imagining things." She commented distractedly as she watched the play of the muscles across his back as he worked.

"Well _I_ missed _you_." He admitted unapologetically.

"You have a funny way of showing it." Lois smiled with a flush when she realized what she was doing. "You're milking a cow."

"A cow you didn't seem to think I _could_ milk." Clark answered her as she listened to the rhythmic beats continue. And when they became more and more faint, he eventually sat back and rolled his shoulders. "That's not as easy as I remember it being."

She approached him and put her hands on his shoulders and smiled as he started in surprise. "Relax, farm boy; I think you'll like this. Dad always appreciated it."

He rolled his shoulders again and laughed as Lois began to massage the tightness in his shoulders, his neck and his arms. Every muscle she touched seemed to be knotted up with tension, so that made her work them all the more to get them to relax. He leaned back against her and sighed. "That feels nice."

"I told you that you'd like it." She liked having the chance to touch him because she didn't know how many more chances she would have before he had to leave.

"That's not what I meant." He clarified when he reached up and took her hands.

"I know what you meant." Lois smiled as he ran his thumbs across the knuckles of her bare fingers and she leaned into him. "You have to go back soon, don't you?"

He nodded just before he let go of her hands, stood up and picked up the milk pail. "Let's get back to the house and I promise that I'll explain everything. It's too damn cold to be out here."

"It had its advantages." She slipped her hand into his and walked with him out of the barn.

"I won't argue with you about that." He pulled his hand out of hers long enough to put his arm around her shoulders. "That's better."

"You think that's such a good idea? Your parents might see." She looked up at him warily and he smiled back at her.

"And?"

"And, nothing." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I'm glad you're home."

"So am I." He kissed her cheek in return and then let her go as they stepped up on the porch. He opened the front door, waited for her to walk in ahead of him and as soon as he closed the door she held her hand out for the milk pail and he shook his head. "I milked her, so I'll take it into the kitchen."

"And _who_ started milking her?" She asked as he walked toward the kitchen and Lois had no choice but to follow. "Me."

"And who finished it?" He laughed. "_Me_."

"Clark."

"Lois." And he laughed again as she walked to the sink to wash up for lunch.

"I knew it was too quiet around here for the last few days and couldn't figure out why." Mr. Kent smiled as he poured a cup of coffee and sat down across the table from his wife. "Now I know. There wasn't the sound of the kids arguing."

"We weren't arguing Dad; we were having a minor disagreement." Clark put the pail down on the counter. "If we were really arguing, you'd know it."

Mrs. Kent's startled glance found Lois's as she dried her hands and knew what the older woman was thinking as her warm cheeks mirrored Clark's mothers.

"Martha, is everything all right? You look a little flushed." Mr. Kent sounded concerned as he reached across the table for his wife's hand.

"Mom?" Clark seemed just as perplexed and looked at Lois for a possible answer. She shrugged as though to tell him she didn't know as she draped the dishtowel over his shoulder and he hesitated a moment before he turned to the sink to wash his hands.

Mrs. Kent nodded a little too vigorously and put her hands to her cheeks. "The coffee was a little too hot."

"Lois, are _you_ all right?" Mr. Kent looked up at Lois.

"I'm just worried about Mrs. Kent." She fibbed and knew he wasn't sure whether to believe her, but ultimately chose to.

Clark turned around to face his parents as he dried his hands and looked expectantly at Lois before he cleared his throat. "I've got some news for all of you and if Lois would sit down, I'll try to explain."

"Just a minute honey, I need to put up the milk." Mrs. Kent stood up and Lois could see her face was still a little red. She covered the pail with a clean dishcloth and walked to the service porch door. She opened it and set the pail on the table just outside the door before closing it and then proceeded to sit down next to Mr. Kent. "As soon as the cream rises, I can skim it off and put it in the icebox."

"So what is this all about son?"

Clark sat down next to Lois and folded his hands together. "The case I was sent out here to investigate has been closed."

"Closed?" The three other occupants at the table asked in unison.

"Yes. And I have to go back to Washington the day after New Years." He sighed. "_But,_ while I was in Kansas City I requested a permanent transfer out here."

"You're coming home?" Mrs. Kent's eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she smiled and reached for his hand.

"Nothing is definite. And until the Bureau gives me the green light, there _is_ a chance they may turn me down. But Mr. Kelly is going to do everything he can to make sure that the transfer goes through."

"Mr. Kelly?" She asked.

"The field director." Clark explained. "He said he could use another agent out here, so I'm hoping that works in my favor."

"It _would_ be nice to have you closer to home, that's for sure." Mr. Kent commented with a smile of his own. "You've been gone for too long."

"I won't disagree about that."

"But something tells me that's only part of it." He looked at his son curiously. "Why _was_ your investigation closed?"

"The investigation was closed because it was never meant to go anywhere." Clark glanced at Lois and she didn't have any idea why. "The fact is, I was part of a larger operation and was sent out here to protect Lois."

She didn't know who was more surprised, Clark's parents or herself. "Protect _me_? Why?"

He took Lois' hand in a gentle grip and that got her to look at him. "Those shots that were fired the night I came to talk to you were meant to keep you quiet, for good."

She heard a short gasp from Mrs. Kent, who seemed to grasp before Lois the gravity of Clark's statement. All she could do was stare at him because her mind refused to acknowledge the notion that someone had wanted her dead.

"Lois?" She felt his grip on her hand tighten and the concern in his eyes shook her out of her stupor.

"Why?" She asked him again as it began to sink in. "I don't understand."

"The conversation you overheard was part of a sting operation the FBI set up to trap Senator Burke."

"Sting operation?" "Senator Burke?" Lois asked in disbelief at the same time as the Kent's.

Clark nodded and he proceeded to explain in detail to Lois and to his parents the plan that brought him out from Washington. He told them about Lionel Luthor's role and how he watched out for Lois until he felt he couldn't keep her safe any longer.

"I wondered why he was being so overprotective." She frowned. "I mean he's always watched after us girls, but in the last few weeks he was like my shadow. And now I know why."

"So Lex Luthor won't bear any responsibility for what he tried to do?" Mr. Kent looked increasingly upset.

"He will if we can prove it." Clark looked at his father and then at Lois, again. "If we can find the fellow who pulled the trigger, we can get him with that. And they're starting an investigation to look into his involvement with prostitution in his clubs."

"Oh!" Mrs. Kent blushed in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I shouldn't have been so blunt." Clark apologized and his own face was red.

"It's not that. I was just thinking about those poor girls." And her eyes began to tear. "What an awful life that must be."

Mr. Kent took her hand. "They'll get him sweetheart; it's just going to take some time."

"I know." She sighed. "But in the meantime, there they are."

"Dad's right, we will get him." Clark tried to reassure her. "He only got immunity on the racketeering because his father coerced him into helping with the sting; everything else is fair game."

"That's good to hear." Mrs. Kent took a sip of her coffee.

"So with your investigation closed and you going back to Washington, what does that mean for Lois?" Clark's father asked him.

"It means that she gets to go home." He answered quietly. "And she can go back to her job at the _Falcon_."

"Is that such a good idea?" Mrs. Kent frowned with concern. "After all."

"With the operation concluded and Lex off the hook for this, Lois isn't in any danger."

There was an old saying about home being where the heart was, and if that were true then Lois _was _home. She'd liked the Kent's from the moment she met them and it hadn't taken her long to fall for their son. She was in a place where she felt safe and cared for, much as her father had tried to do while she was growing up but couldn't quite succeed at because he could never put down roots.

"Lois?" She felt the gentle pressure of Clark's hand against hers and she looked up at him. "Is everything all right?"

"I was just thinking." She said and answered his gentle grip with her own. "When you first brought me out here, I couldn't wait to go home and get back to my life. And now that I _can_, it doesn't feel as urgent as it did before."

"Farm life finally got to you, huh?" He grinned at her and she could see how it pleased him. "You just had to give it a chance, that's all."

"Well your _parents_ were the reason for it." She admitted as she tried to stretch her fingers. "Though I can't say I enjoy cramped fingers after milking that cow."

"After you do it for awhile, the cramping goes away." Mr. Kent assured her with a smile and seemed just as pleased as his son. "It's all a matter of getting used to things."

"You're always welcome here Lois, if that's what's concerning you." Mrs. Kent assured her. "Jonathan and I have gotten used to having you around and we don't want you to become a stranger."

She'd never admit it to them, but it was just what she wanted to hear. Lois would never dream of imposing on the Kent's once Clark was gone and his mother's reassurance that she would always be welcome helped make her inevitable departure a little easier to accept.

"Don't worry about that, Mom." Clark commented with a smile as he took one of Lois' hands in his and casually began to massage her fingers. "If it means that she doesn't have to cook, she'll be here."

"Clark." Mrs. Kent admonished him gently with a shake of her head and then smiled at her son.

"It's all right, Mrs. Kent." Lois glanced at Clark as she talked to his mother and felt her face warm. Her hand felt so small as he held it in between his larger ones and tended to her sore digits. "What your son seems to forget is, while I can drive over here and enjoy your cooking, he's going to have to enjoy his own."

Mr. Kent laughed and shook his head. "It's going to be pretty dull around here without you kids."

"We do what we can, Mr. Kent." She shrugged her shoulders as Clark kissed her fingers and let go of her hand long enough to take the other and began to gently rub out the aches. "Because I think our lives will be pretty dull, too."

"I know _mine_ will be." His look was serious and Lois got the oddest feeling that he wanted to kiss her, right there in front of his parents. "That's why I'm really hoping this transfer goes through."

"I should have known, Jonathan." Clark's mother laughed softly. "It's not just _us _he wants to come home for."

"That's because our son is smart." She heard Mr. Kent laugh with her, but all Lois saw was Clark's blue eyes looking so intently into hers. And if he didn't knock it off, she was going to be the one kissing _him_.

"Dad if I was so smart, I would have used the common sense you and Mom raised me with when I first got home." Clark said to his father and Lois could see a look of regret on his face.

And she thought she understood why

"Son, I don't think." Mr. Kent started to speak with a shake of his head.

"It's all right, I told her everything." He sighed as he continued to rub her fingers, though it seemed to be more for the contact, than anything else. "I _had_ to tell her about Lana, it wouldn't have been fair to her if I didn't."

"Then can your mother and I assume that you've put an end to that situation?"

"I have. That was my Christmas present to Lois." He admitted with a nod. "But it was as much for me as for her."

"Why is that?" Mrs. Kent asked.

"Because I care about her, a lot." He caught her gaze and Lois understood that he didn't want to tell them how deep his feelings for her really went, just yet.

That was still between the two of them and that was where it was going to stay.

For now.


	28. And Everything Returned as it Was

He tried to ignore it for as long as he could, but there was no way to outwit a calendar that said it was already the second day of 1942. And that meant Clark Jerome Kent, Special Agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation needed to leave his parents and Lois behind to resume his duties in Washington, DC.

There had been no word on his transfer since he returned from Kansas City and to be perfectly honest, he didn't expect one before he left Kansas. It would have been nice, just the same, to know.

His suitcase and Lois's were sitting together by the front door, ready to be loaded into the trunk of his car. It had been something of a surreal morning for him as they made his bed together before they opened their suitcases side by side on the mattress and proceeded to pack. 

He couldn't help but feel the intimacy of the situation they put themselves in as they emptied drawers, took their clothing out of the closet and cleared their belongings from the top of his dresser. They also packed away their toothbrushes that had sat side by side in the bathroom for the duration of her stay.

That was how they'd lived for the last three weeks, side by side. And to not have that companionship with her once they left the warmth and security of his parents home was something he was having a hard time contemplating.

As they stood with his parents by the front door, Clark's mother had Lois in a tight embrace and he could see that she was trying not to cry. She'd already made Lois promise to come back out to the farm for Sunday dinner and if she wanted to stay overnight, that would be perfectly all right.

In return, Lois made them promise to come to her apartment so she could cook them dinner. "It's only fair after all the meals you cooked for me." 

"If it gives Martha a night off, I'm all for it." Mr. Kent smiled and then Lois was in his arms. "You take care of yourself now. And don't feel you need to stand on ceremony with us, you're always welcome here."

"Thank you." Her voice sounded breathless and Clark knew it always took on that quality when she was trying to keep her emotions in check. He could see that she was having a difficult time as his father let her go, so he put his hands on her shoulders. 

"It's getting late." He reminded her gently. "I need to get you home so I can get on the road."

"Clark, are you sure you don't want to take the train?" His father asked with a frown of concern. "At least if you got a berth, you could sleep some."

"I'm sure Dad." Clark tried to reassure him. "I'll stop someplace overnight and if I get an early start tomorrow, I should be back by tomorrow night."

"You be sure to call us tonight and let us know where you are." His father requested and he nodded. 

"I will. And I'll call you when I get back to Washington." He almost said home but to Clark, where he was standing was the only place he would ever really consider home. 

His mother handed him a paper bag and the tears in her eyes that she was trying to keep in check were in danger of spilling over her lashes. "I made some sandwiches for you so you won't have to spend your money on restaurants."

He took the bag from her and smiled unsteadily because if his mother started to cry, then Lois surely would. And he didn't know how he could handle the two women in his life that meant so much to him, crying. "Thanks, Mom."

His father seemed to be in the same dilemma because he cleared his throat and picked up Lois' suitcase and his before his mother opened the door. "We'll meet you out by the car." He said as Clark's mother took the bag from his hand and his parents stepped out on to the porch before she closed the door behind them. 

He heard Lois sigh as she secured her hat to her hair and when she reached for her coat from the coat rack, she stopped.

"What is it?" He asked her quietly.

"How many times since I've been staying here have I hung my coat up and taken it down to go outside?" She wondered. "I never gave it any thought until just now."

His hands were on her shoulders again and he pulled her back against him, to try and offer some comfort. "You'll be hanging it up here again in a couple of days."

"But you won't be here." She sighed again.

"That's true." He agreed. "But we created a lot of memories while you were here, so in a sense I _will_ be."

"It's not the same." She leaned back against him.

"I know that, Lois. But it's going to have to be enough for now." 

Lois sighed again and put her head back on his shoulder. "Can we go now? Because if we don't, I'm not leaving."

Clark couldn't help but smile because he knew his mother wouldn't mind, and he nodded. "Let's go."

He got her coat and held it for her while she slipped her arms into the sleeves. While she buttoned it up, he grabbed his hat and put it on before he retrieved his own coat, shrugged into it and walked to the front door. 

Lois turned to face the parlor and took a deep breath before she turned back around. "You can take me home now."

He grasped her hand as she met him at the door and kissed her cheek. He opened it and waited for Lois to walk out ahead of him before he closed the door behind them. He took her hand again and it wasn't lost on him that he was doing it in front of his parents. It wasn't lost on her either because she looked up at him in surprise, but to her credit didn't try to pull her hand out of his.

"I think they already know something's been going on, why hide from it now?" Clark smiled at her and walked her down the porch steps to his car. 

"And to think, when you brought her out here you barely had her by the elbow." His father grinned. "What you're doing now is much more civilized."

"And much nicer too." Clark agreed and he felt Lois' firm grip as he walked her around to the passenger door and opened it with his free hand. She slipped her hand out of his grasp and got into the car and just before he closed her door, the look in her eye told him in no uncertain terms that they needed to leave before she humiliated herself by crying. 

"Have a safe trip, son." He watched as his father swallowed and then blinked a couple of times before Clark felt his strong arms around him, clapping him on the back. "Don't forget to write and call your mother once in awhile."

"Yes sir." He promised as he hugged his father back and then he leaned down to hug his mother.

"I could swear that you've grown a couple of inches since you went away." He heard her sniff as he put his arms around her. "Let us know as soon as you hear anything about your transfer."

"I will Mom, I promise." He assured her, as she seemed reluctant to let him go. When she finally did, he straightened up and kissed her cheek. He walked around the car to the driver's side and opened his door. "Thank you for everything you did for me and for Lois." He told his parents.

"We were happy to do it." His mother smiled as he got into the car and closed the door. He rolled down the window, hesitant to break the contact with them.

"The roads should be clear for most of the trip." Dad offered helpfully.

"That's what the weather reports were saying about twenty minutes ago, so hopefully that means no new snow." Clark nodded just before he put the key in the ignition and with a twist the engine turned over. He saw a tear slide down Lois' cheek and knew that it was time to leave. 

"Get going now, you've got a long drive." 

"I'll call you tonight." He promised them before he rolled up his window, put the car in drive and started down the lane. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw his parents waving as his father's arm went around his mother, just before her head went down on his shoulder. He hated having to say goodbye to them.

Clark glanced over at Lois as she swiped the tear away, only to open her handbag and pull out a handkerchief. She dabbed at her eyes and took a deep, shaky breath. "If you wanted to call Mom later, I know she'd love to talk to you."

"If I did that, I might not get off the telephone." She dabbed at her nose and sighed. 

"She wouldn't mind Lois; you know that." He reached for her hand and squeezed it. "I think hearing your voice would help."

"You think so?" She asked as he let go of her trembling fingers and put his hand back on the steering wheel. 

"I know so." He told her as they reached the end of the lane and as Clark turned on to the main road that would take them into Smallville, Lois turned and took one last look at the farm.

_Would it have been so bad to leave her there?_

oooooo

"I never realized what a tomb this place was." Lois sighed while Clark held the door open for her. The _Falcon_ wasn't open for business yet as she walked into the building and headed for the stairs that lead up to her apartment. 

He followed behind with her suitcase in his hand and couldn't say that he disagreed with her. All of the lights were out inside the nightclub and the chairs were turned up on the tables. There were faint voices coming from inside, so they meant there was some people already there setting up for the evening.

He followed Lois up the stairs and had a moment of déja vu as he walked her to the front door. Nearly three weeks earlier, he'd escorted her home after she'd been shot at and it was because of that, his life changed.

"Did you tell anyone that you were coming back today?" Clark asked as she pulled a set of keys out of her handbag and he heard them jingle as she located her front door key. She slipped it into the lock and he heard a click, just before she turned the knob and walked inside. 

"No." She finally answered. "Since we weren't really sure when you'd be bringing me back, I didn't tell Lionel I'd be here."

He nodded as he set her suitcase inside the front door and almost immediately noticed how cold it was as he closed the door behind him. "If you have some firewood handy, I'll get a fire started for you if you like."

Clark felt the need to do something for her before he had to leave her. Or was it that he was forestalling the inevitable parting? It was a little bit of both, he decided as he spotted a firebox next to the small fireplace. He found matches on the mantle and set about building a fire that would keep her warm for awhile. 

"I'm still hopeless at that." She sighed and he smiled.

"You can always waste two minutes to call me and I'll walk you through it." 

"You would." And he was grateful to hear a soft snort of laughter. 

"I'd do anything for you Lois, I thought you knew that by now." He told her quietly as he glanced over his shoulder at her. 

"Then stay." Her voice was unsteady and he knew she was close to cracking. "Don't leave."

He stood up, hearing in her voice that she needed him more than a fire and in several long strides, had her in his arms. Her arms were around his neck and he could feel the tension in her body as she fought the urge to cry. She was probably trying to wait until he left before she let herself go and the idea of that made his chest tight with anxiety. 

"I _have_ to go." He hated saying that to her, knowing it wasn't what she wanted to hear. But the longer he put it off, the harder it would be on the both of them. "You know I don't want to, but right now I don't have any say in the matter."

"What if you don't get your transfer?" Her voice was starting to break and so was his resolve.

"I can't think of a reason why they would turn me down." He tried to reassure her as she began to tremble and he figured that the tears couldn't be far behind as he began to gently rub her back. "I've never refused an assignment they've given me and I've never complained about the traveling or the hours. I've given everything I have to the Bureau and I've never asked for anything in return, until now. 

"They know my parents are here and they also know that I've been away from them for the last five years; that's got to count for something. And since I met you, that's another important reason to come back."

"I don't think that would go over so well if they knew about that, do you?" She laughed softly again and the tightness Clark felt in his chest eased, just a little. 

"I don't plan on making a general announcement about that." He chuckled in return and the trembling he felt from her, began to ease as well. "Because I want to keep you to myself for a little while longer."

"And how do you propose to do that with at least five states between us?" She sighed and tightened her hold around his neck.

"Who was it that told me that we could write letters or call each other?" He asked as he continued to try and comfort her. "That would be _you_. And _I_ for one plan on writing to you a lot."

He felt her nod and she finally relaxed. "You have to go now, don't you?"

It was his turn to nod. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry for having to do your job, Clark." She told him as she took a deep breath and stepped out of his arms. She looked up at him and her eyes were red rimmed. "You'll come home if they let you and if you don't, we'll figure something out."

He held her hands in his and smiled. "If that happens, you'll just have to come back to Washington to visit."

"And don't think that I won't." She let go of one of his hands and led him to the door by the other.

"I'll call you after I get settled tonight and let you know where I am." He promised and grasped her hand. "Walk me back down to my car?"

Lois shook her head as her eyes filled with tears and she frowned. "I'd rather say goodbye here."

Clark nodded and he cleared his throat before taking a deep breath of his own. "This isn't goodbye Lois, not really."

"You could have fooled me." She managed a tremulous smile even as a tear rolled down her cheek. "So then what exactly _is_ this?"

"It's a test." He decided as he reached up and brushed away the errant tear. 

"A test?" She looked at him with confusion. "What kind of a test?"

It sounded goofy when he first said it because he only came up with the idea to try and help Lois feel a little better about their parting. But the more he thought about it, it made sense.

"To see if what we feel for each other can withstand a few hundred miles." He explained. "It goes without saying that neither of us expected this to happen, never mind that it wasn't supposed to. But having said that, here we are. Now we already managed being apart for a few days and this is a lot like that."

Lois put her hands on his shoulders and Clark pulled her close. "The difference of that situation was the small detail of my being with your parents. Having them so close meant that you weren't so far away, but now I'm back here and I don't have that."

"You heard what Dad said about not standing on ceremony with them." He reminded her as he brushed his fingers across her cheek. "You'll always be welcome in their house, and you know Mom will expect regular telephone calls when you aren't there. And I'm just a two minute call away."

She pulled him into a hug and Clark felt her begin to tremble again. "A test."

He nodded again and rubbed her back gently. "And it's a test I know that we'll both pass."

"You sound so certain."

"I _am_ because of everything that's happened to us in the last three weeks." He reached up for her arms and pulled them from around his neck because he wanted her to look at him. "What I feel for you isn't something that's going to go away, any more than what you feel for me will either. 

"We didn't realize it at the time, but we started building a foundation for this from the night we met. And I think that foundation is strong enough to withstand a separation."

"And as long as we keep building on that foundation, we pass the test." She gave him the first real smile he'd seen all morning and he knew that she was going to be all right because she understood what he was trying to say. 

"That's it." He smiled back and took another deep breath, but this time with relief. 

"I'll miss you." 

"I know; I'll miss you too. But just because we're going to have some distance between us doesn't mean that we'll stop talking." He assured her. "I'll expect to hear your voice at least once a week giving me a hard time about something."

"That won't be too difficult." She laughed again and it had more feeling to it. 

_She really was something special._

"It's what you live for." He grinned back at her and suddenly it didn't feel so hard to leave. He'd told her the night before he left for Kansas City that things were just getting started. And now more than ever, he really believed it. 

It was because of that belief that he was able to take Lois in his arms and kiss her goodbye. 

"Have a safe trip." She finally said when he let her go. 

"I'll call you when I stop for the night." He promised her again as she opened the door and he stepped out onto the landing. "And keep an eye on that fire so it doesn't go out."

"Says the Eagle Scout." She raised her eyebrow at him. "Get going will you? Dad would say that you're burning daylight."

"You just don't want me around anymore." He feigned a frown and sighed dramatically as he turned for the stairs and started down. 

"You've got that right." He heard her say from the doorway as he descended. 

When he got to the bottom of the stairs he looked up and she was still standing there. It was now a matter of who was going to make the final break and it seemed an eternity as each of them waited for the other to make the final move.

Lois was the one who ultimately showed more bravery as she stepped inside and slowly closed the door. Clark sighed and looked at his watch to check the time and he was already running a half-hour behind. 

He walked out of the _Falcon_, making sure the door was secure. When he got to his car he looked up, he wasn't even sure why and saw Lois standing at her window. She looked as lost as she had that Christmas Eve morning when she stood at his bedroom window and watched him leave.

He raised a hand in farewell, which she answered before he got into the car. He fumbled for his car keys as his vision suddenly blurred and he took a deep breath to calm down. He had to pull himself together for the long drive ahead because the sooner he got back to Washington; the sooner he would learn his fate. 

And he _had_ to hope that fate wouldn't laugh in his face. 

_It couldn't, not now._


	29. The More Things Change

Lois was setting down roots, and they were being set down with the Kent family.

Because the time she didn't spend at the _Falcon_ working, she found herself out at the farm. And in a interesting twist of circumstance, her father was often there himself.

It seemed that he was trying to set down his own roots of a sort, at least until he shipped out. And that was becoming a greater possibility the farther they moved into 1942. He'd already taken one of his battalions to Fort Harrison for some mountain training and that could only mean that they would eventually be headed to the ETO.

In the meantime, she'd received another letter from Clark and was headed out to the farm to have dinner with his parents and share his news. It was something they'd gotten in the habit of doing since he'd gone back to Washington, sharing his letters with each other, so each could get a fuller picture of what was happening in his life. In sharing, they found out that there were things he told his parents that he'd forgotten when he'd written to Lois and the same with his letters to her.

It helped her miss him a little less, spending time with Mr. and Mrs. Kent at the farm because Clark had been right. They'd created a lot of memories during her stay and it comforted her when his absence got to be too much.

"Sneaking out again, are we?" Lois stopped at the bottom of the stairs of her apartment and tried not to sigh at the sound of that voice.

_This was getting ridiculous. _

In the weeks since she had returned to the _Falcon_, her every move seemed to be shadowed by Lana Luthor. She'd never spent much time at the nightclub before Clark came to talk to Lois but since he brought her back; Lex's wife seemed to make her presence felt, _especially_ to Lois.

She knew it was because of what Lana had seen at the hotel that night and Clark's subsequent ending of their affair. He'd gone into more detail about their conversation during a walk they took a couple of days before he left and she remembered that Lana believed she and Clark were sleeping together.

She didn't hide the fact that Lois' presumed physical relationship with him upset her and she would camouflage her ire with innuendo about her own relationship, with the express purpose of trying to make Lois jealous.

What she didn't know though, was that Clark had already told Lois everything about it during that same walk. It wasn't something she had particularly wanted to hear, but _he_ didn't want there to be any thing unsaid that could come back to haunt them.

"What I do on my own time is my business."

"You work for my husband, so I think that _makes_ it my business."

"That's true, while I'm on the clock. But in case you hadn't realized it, I'm _not_ on the clock now and I have somewhere to be." She turned and walked toward the door.

"Do they know you're sleeping with their son?" The point blank question surprised her, though it really shouldn't have and she turned back around.

"I can't imagine two people as straight-laced as his parents approving of that." The younger woman let out an exaggerated sigh. "I don't know how many times he told me that he was tired of them treating him like a child with their disapproval."

_Hold your tongue. Lois._

"I suppose that you received the same lecture _he_ did." She persisted.

"Lana, the girl has told you that she has somewhere to be." Lois looked toward the nightclub and saw Lionel standing in the doorway. "So stop pestering her and let her go."

"Stay out of this Lionel, it's none of your business." She frowned.

"It most certainly _is_ when you decide to harass someone who works for me." He stepped forward.

"She works for _Lex_."

"You're splitting hairs, my dear and making her late." Lionel continued to walk toward them. "Have a nice evening Lois, and we'll see you tomorrow."

"Unless Lex fires her."

_Now she was just being spiteful._

"My son isn't about to fire the goose that brings in the golden egg, Lana." He came to a stop behind her, and Lois could see that the girl was suddenly nervous. "Business suffered while Lois was staying with her father and since she returned, we've had a very nice turnaround."

"You should have fired her for disappearing the way she did."

"Which you made abundantly clear at the time and which I chose to ignore." He sighed. "Now why don't you come back into the club and join Lex and me for an afternoon bourbon and soda. It should help calm those nerves of yours."

"My nerves are just fine." She hissed.

"Then join me so I can calm _mine_." Lionel insisted and he took Lana by her arm in a way that said he wouldn't take no for an answer and turned her toward the empty club. "Good evening Lois."

"Good evening Lionel, Mrs. Luthor." She added with a smile because she saw the girl stiffen at the use of her surname.

Lois knew that it was childish to bait her, but turnabout _was_ fair play.

And besides, she deserved it.

oooooo

"Honey, I think that you need to tell Clark about this." Mrs. Kent commented as Lois helped her clear the table after dinner later that evening. She'd told Clark's mother about what had happened earlier, after Mr. Kent had gone out to the barn. "He should know what that girl is up to."

"I could, but there isn't anything he can do and I don't want him to worry." Lois looked at Mrs. Kent, hoping she would understand. "He needs to keep his mind on his job and he can't do that if he's worried about a situation here because I can take care of myself. Besides, Lionel never seems to be too far away and he has a way of getting her to leave me alone."

"You wouldn't have to put up with that if you came to live here." She blurted out and then flushed. "That is, if you wanted to."

Lois hadn't expected that and didn't know what to say. Mrs. Kent seemed to think that Lois didn't like the idea and shook her head. "Never mind, it was a bad idea. I'm sure you like the freedom of living on your own."

"You want me to live here?" She finally managed to ask, not sure if she'd heard right. "Here."

"Jonathan and I have been talking about it for awhile and it makes sense." Mrs. Kent looked at Lois hesitantly. "Of course, if it doesn't make sense to _you_, then I won't say another word about it."

"Why?"

"Why?" She took Lois' hand and sat her down at the table before sitting down next to her. "Because I didn't realize until I walked in here the morning that Clark left and took you home how accustomed I'd become to the sound of your voices. You always seemed to be talking, it didn't matter what about."

"I would have thought you'd be enjoying the peace and quiet without us here." Lois couldn't help but smile.

"Your voices brought life to a house that has been too quiet since Clark left to go to the Academy." Mrs. Kent shrugged. "The plain fact is, we get tired of hearing our own voices. But with you and Clark here, and your father for that matter, it livened things up."

"Dad has a way of doing that." She laughed.

"And that's why we'd like you to think about staying with us."

The idea was tempting, to be sure. She cared a lot about the Kent's and to be able to stay with them would help her feel closer to Clark. But if she did it, Lois felt that she would be running from a problem, namely Lana Luthor and Lane's did not run from their problems. They faced them head on and resolved them.

And she was not about to let Lex's wife get the best of her.

"I appreciate the offer, I really do." She cringed with guilt at the crestfallen look on Mrs. Kent's face and grasped her hand. "And it's not easy for me to say no to you, but I need to stay there and see it through. She's trying to cause problems and if I move out here with you, she'll think that she's succeeded and she's _not_ going to succeed."

And to her relief, the older woman smiled. "Well then, you need to stay there and show that young woman who she's dealing with."

"Thanks." She smiled as they got up from the table to finished clearing.

Mr. Kent joined them in the kitchen after finishing the evening chores and between the three of them, the dishes were done and the kitchen was put back in order. Then Mrs. Kent put a pot of coffee on the stove to percolate while they went into the parlor to share Clark's letters.

Lois sat down in the overstuffed chair that he always favored and Mrs. Kent sat down on the sofa while Mr. Kent stoked the fire before sitting down next to his wife and he smiled. "All right Lois, let's hear what our son has to say."

She slipped his letter out of the envelope and unfolded the sheets of paper. It still amazed her how neat his handwriting was and that she never had to try and decipher what it was he was trying to say. "He says that he just got back from an assignment that took him to Minnesota":

'If I thought that winters in Kansas were cold, winters there are brutal.

I don't know why anyone would choose to live in such a place because

I sure wouldn't and I was only there for a week. It makes Washington

feel downright balmy in comparison.

It looks as though I'll be traveling again in a few days, but the nature of

the investigation is currently classified. But even if it weren't, we're

discouraged from ever discussing details of cases we're working on.

So please don't take it personally if there are things about my job that I

can't talk about with you. It's not that I don't want to be able to share

everything, because I know that I can trust you to keep it to yourself.

But I figure as long as we can share the things that are important, that's

all that really matters.'

And then there was something she wanted them to hear:

'I haven't heard anything about my transfer yet and I've been in touch with

Mr. Kelly from the field office. He's been trying to light a fire under anyone

in Washington to expedite the paperwork, because all of the indications he's

gotten so far is that the transfer should be a go.

I should be used to being stonewalled by now, but it's been two and a half

months since I've been back and no one is telling me anything. But in the time

I've been with the Bureau, I forget that this is SOP as far as they're concerned.'

He went on to say, though Lois didn't share it with his parents, how much he missed her and how much he wanted to be back home. He reminisced about Christmas Eve and how that night changed his life and how being back in Kansas would change it all the more.

She didn't realize that she was smiling until she heard Mrs. Kent laugh. "I think it's time for us to share _our_ letter, Jonathan."

Lois looked up in surprise at the teasing tone and felt her face warm. "It's nothing that personal really, he was just telling me that he missed me."

"As if _that_ were news." Mr. Kent chuckled for a moment and then his expression sobered. "He told us pretty much the same thing about his transfer and I know how frustrating it's been for him. Not that he was ever given a guarantee, but he _was_ told that it shouldn't be a problem."

"He does say something about that here." Mrs. Kent said as she held up his letter.

'I mentioned the status of my transfer to Lois and should have thought to tell her

that the slow response of the Bureau is the war, because we've been dealing with

a lot of cases of possible espionage and fifth column activity.

I'm telling you this because it's quite possible that my transfer has been classified

as a low priority and when they can get to it, they'll get to it.

Unfortunately, that means that unless Mr. Kelly can make it a priority, I may be

stuck here for the duration.'

"SNAFU." Lois sighed.

"What's that?" Mrs. Kent looked at her curiously.

"Situation Normal All Fouled Up." She explained. "I don't know how many times I've heard Dad say that in the last few months. You expect that sort of thing in the service, but you'd think that the government would be a little more efficient."

Mr. Kent shook his head. "I can tell you from my own experience that it's not the case. Especially now that there's a war on."

Their attention was drawn to the ringing of the telephone and Mr. Kent stood up. "I'll get that; I'm expecting a call from Ben." He told them and walked toward the kitchen.

"Are you all right, Lois? You've been a little quiet." Mrs. Kent asked as he left the room and Lois smiled at the look of concern on her face.

"I'm fine, just a little disappointed." She admitted. "I wasn't expecting to hear that."

"We weren't either, honey."

"Lois, it's your father." Mr. Kent called to her.

"Did he say what it was about?" Lois asked as she walked into the kitchen and approached him.

"All he said was that he wanted to talk to you." He elaborated with a shake of his head as he handed her the receiver.

"Thank you." She said as he walked back out the parlor. "Hi Dad."

"_I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" _

"We were just reading Clark's letters." She told him.

"_How _is _young Kent doing?" _Lois couldn't help but smile because her father was the only one who called him 'young Kent'.

"He's fine, but he really wants to come home." She informed him. "But it seems that his transfer has been classified as a low priority."

"_And here I thought _Army _bureaucracy was bad." _He commented with a sigh on the other end of the line. And then there was a pause. "_Lo, I'm calling to apologize for not being able to make it to the Kent's for dinner. It was something that couldn't be helped."_

"It's all right Dad, I understand and the Kent's do too." She tried to reassure him. "Your time isn't exactly your own these days."

"_Something your young agent would know something about, I'd wager." _And she heard him laugh.

"Yes he would." Lois smiled again. Her dad could be such a card, and didn't even know it. "And he would understand what _you're_ going through too."

"_How _are _you doing? I know you were hoping to have him home by now." _

"I get a letter every week, sometimes two. And he calls every week if he can, so it's not so bad."

"_But it's not the same as having him there, is it?" _

"That goes without saying, but it's better than no communication at all."

"_Agreed." _He said and then paused again. "_I don't want to sound like an interfering father, but is there anything I can do to help?" _

"What can _you_ do?" Her father was an avenue she'd never considered because she didn't want to ask him to use any connections he might have in Washington for her personal benefit.

"_I still have contacts that I made during my year at the War Department. And many of those contacts made their way to the FBI." _

"So how does that help _me_?"

"_We've done favors for each other over the years and as it so happens, I'm still owed several."_

"I thought you used those contacts to try and find your favorite cigars." Lois laughed, knowing _she'd_ been the one to find them after all.

"_Sarcasm doesn't become you Lois." _But he seemed to laugh in spite of himself.

"Clark _has_ told me that." She smiled.

"_He's a smart boy." _He replied with a chuckle. "_The thing of it is, I might be able to get someone back there to shake his transfer papers loose and get him the hell out of there. Now I won't make you any promises, but if you want me to do this, I'll give it my best shot."_

The General never ceased to surprise her. "You'd do that for me?"

"_What better reason to call in those favors than for my daughter?" _His voice softened a little before he cleared his throat_. "Besides, who the hell else am I going to use them on?" _

I love you too Daddy.

"_So what do you say?"_

"If you can do something to get him home, then do what you can." If her father couldn't get Clark home, she didn't think _anyone_ could.

"_First thing tomorrow, I'll have my adjutant get to work on it._" And she heard him laugh out loud, something she hadn't heard since her mother died and it made her smile.

"Dad." She tried not to laugh because she knew that Oliver Queen was still a sore spot with Clark, even though there was no reason for him to be.

"_You're right. If I leave it to my lieutenant, young Kent will get stuck in Washington permanently." _He continued to laugh because her father was aware of the same thing.

"Dad." She did laugh then, though she really shouldn't have because it would only encourage him.

"_Don't worry about this." _He was suddenly very serious. "_I'll handle it personally and lean on who ever the hell I have to lean on to try and get it done, understand?"_

Lois nodded. "I know you'll do your best and that's all I can ask."

"_You didn't ask Lo, I offered." _He seemed to feel the need to correct her and Lois rolled her eyes. "_Don't roll your eyes at me, young lady. And don't try and tell me that you didn't." _He scolded her, but she heard the humor in his voice.

"How do you do that?"

"_I've known you your whole life; that's how I do that." _Was all he said. "_Well, I'll let you go so you can finish with the letters." _

"Thanks for your help Dad."

"_I haven't done anything yet, so wait to thank me if I get him here." _

"That's fair." She told him as they said goodbye and she hung up.

Lois walked back into the parlor and the Kent's each had a cup of coffee in their hands. "Dad called to apologize for not being here for dinner."

"He didn't need to do that." Mrs. Kent frowned. "He _did_ call us earlier and that was enough."

"He felt pretty bad about it." Lois sat down in her chair. "He's also offered to help and try to get Clark home."

The Kent's sat forward in interest at that piece of news and Mr. Kent asked. "How?"

"He's got contacts in Washington that owe him some favors. He's going to see if something can be done to get Clark's paperwork moving."

"Your father has more important things to take care of." Mrs. Kent demurred. "Our son's transfer shouldn't be one of them."

"Mrs. Kent, all he's going to do is place a few telephone calls to get the ball rolling. And when that only gets him so far, he'll start leaning on people." Lois told her with a smile. "This is something he enjoys doing and is really good at because he's so subtle about it. He's so subtle that people don't realize it's exactly what he's doing. And I can speak from personal experience."

"Sweetheart, if it's going to get him home sooner I'll take any help that's offered." He looked at his wife and then smiled at Lois. "Please thank him for us."

"Dad doesn't want any thanks unless he can actually do something. So once we have Clark home, _then_ we can." She told him.

"Fair enough." He agreed just before he stood up and glanced at his wristwatch. "I don't know about you Martha, but I feel a need to walk off that delicious dinner. Would you care to join me?"

"A walk sounds like a wonderful idea." Mrs. Kent nodded with a smile and got up from the sofa.

"Lois, I'm still waiting for that call from Ben. If he calls while we're outside would you let him know that I'll get back to him first thing in the morning? I'll be turning in when we get back."

"Sure thing, Mr. Kent." Lois told him as she poured herself a cup of coffee and settled back into the chair as they walked to the front hall. She watched as he held Mrs. Kent's coat for her and then she waited for Mr. Kent to put his on. They reminded her so much of Clark and herself which only made sense, since he _was_ their son.

And then they walked outside.

As she held the cup in her hands and took a sip, she looked around the parlor and at the fire burning in the fireplace. She'd tried to build a fire of her own at home, but still couldn't get it quite right. And contrary to what Clark had said, she wasn't going to waste a long distance call to ask him how.

The telephone rang again and Lois put her coffee cup down on the table before she got up out of the chair, walked into the kitchen and picked up the receiver. "Kent Farm."

"_Now _there's _a voice I've wanted to hear." _She heard the familiar voice and smiled because the Kent's had just pulled a fast one on her and she never saw it coming.

"Ben Hubbard, I presume?"

And he laughed. "_That's what Dad told you?"_

"It _was_ pretty clever on his part because I fell for it." She admitted. "Now I know where you get that devious streak."

"_It was all for a good cause." _He sounded tired and Lois couldn't help but worry that he was working too hard. "_Because it gave me the chance to talk to you. And since I'm getting ready to go to bed, I wanted your voice to be the last thing I heard before I went to sleep."_

What a sap.

"_Did I just say that?" _And he laughed again.

"You did. But I thought it was very sweet." Lois rolled her eyes. "Did _I_ just say that?"

"_You did, but I don't mind." _He sighed. "_I miss this, you know. I miss having the chance to talk to you about everything and nothing."_

"So do I."

"_And do you realize that it's been ten whole weeks since I've kissed you?" _His voice softened.

"That doesn't sound nearly as long as two and a half months." She commented dryly and tried not to sigh. "But either way you look at it, it's been too long."

"_Tell me about it."_

"Has there been any word on your transfer?"

She just _had _to ask.

"_Nothing new since I wrote to you and my parents." _He said. "_Mr. Kelly is keeping the pressure on, but he doesn't know how much it's helping. It seems that my getting home just isn't a priority for the FBI."_

"We'll see about that." She said under her breath.

"_See about what?" _

"It's nothing important." _Damn!_ She hadn't meant for him to hear that.

"_Lois." _

"Clark."

"_I refuse to argue with you long distance." _He said and it sounded as though he was trying to keep from laughing. "_I'd rather do that in person." _

"All in good time, G-man." Lois smiled. "All in good time. But in the meantime, I think someone is due for some sack time."

"_I'd rather talk to you." _

"And I'd rather keep you up to talk to, but don't you have to be on a train in the morning?"

"_I was hoping I'd forgotten to mention that." _And Lois could hear him trying to stifle a yawn.

"Go to bed, will you?" She scolded. "You can call me when you get back and we'll talk until the operator cuts us off."

"_It wouldn't be the first time." _He laughed.

"And it won't be the last." She answered.

"_I miss you." _He was stalling and she understood why.

"I miss you too." She told him but wouldn't let him off the hook. "But you need to go to bed, which means that we have to hang up now."

"_I'll make you a deal."_

"What sort of a deal?"

"_I'll say goodnight to you first and then you say goodnight to me." _He must have been more tired than she thought because now he was just being silly.

"Why?"

"_Because I won't hang up unless you do."_

"And then the operator will have to do it for you." She laughed. "All right, if this will get you to be a good boy and go to bed, then I'll do it."

"_I knew you would." _She heard him chuckle, but he didn't say anything else.

"Say goodnight."

Still nothing.

"Clark, if you don't say goodnight the last voice you're going to hear before going to sleep is the operator."

"_Goodnight Lois. Sleep well." _He finally said.

"Goodnight Clark, sleep well too." She smiled as she slowly hung up the receiver.

_He really _was _a sap. _


	30. The More They Stay the Same

_"I miss you." He was stalling and she understood why._

_"I miss you too." She told him but wouldn't let him off the hook. "But you need to go to bed, which means that we have to hang up now."_

_"I'll make you a deal."_

_"What sort of a deal?"_

_"I'll say goodnight to you first and then you say goodnight to me." He must have been more tired than she thought because now he was just being silly._

_"Why?"_

_"Because I won't hang up unless you do."_

_"And then the operator will have to do it for you." She laughed. "All right, if this will get you to be a good boy and go to bed, then I'll do it."_

_"I knew you would." She heard him chuckle, but he didn't say anything else._

_"Say goodnight."_

_Still nothing._

_"Clark, if you don't say goodnight the last voice you're going to hear before going to sleep is the operator."_

_"Goodnight Lois. Sleep well." He finally said._

_"Goodnight Clark, sleep well too." She smiled as she slowly hung up the receiver._

_He really was a sap._

oooooo

"So did you get Lois tucked in for the night?"

Martha closed the door behind her and looked toward her husband, sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of their bedroom and he smiled at her. The floor lamp next to the chair was on and he had a book in his hands. _Huck Finn_, no doubt. "She's too old to be tucked in."

"But I know you were tempted." He laughed. "You'd never say it, but she's just the kind of daughter you would like to have had."

"It's not that, so much as the kind of wife I'd like Clark to have." She smiled back at him with a shake of her head. "Jonathan, she's in love with our son, hopelessly and head over heels; though she'd never admit it. Not to us or to her father, or herself for that matter."

"Any more than Clark would admit that he's in love with _her_." He reached up to turn the light off and pushed himself out of the rocker. He put his book down on the small table next to the chair before he walked to his side of the bed and tossed back the blankets. "She had his attention from the night they met and it doesn't surprise me that he fell for her. She isn't like any other girl he's ever known and she's been really good for him."

"It's because she challenges him." She agreed as she undid her bathrobe and tossed it to the foot of the bed, propped her pillows up against the headboard and got in.

"I think the best part of this whole situation is that it showed Clark that there was someone out there that could really make him happy." Jonathan got in next to her and they settled in. "and show him that there _is_ someone he can share his life with. Much in the way we've shared ours."

"What exactly are you saying?"

"You're not going to tell me that you haven't noticed how much they behave like a married couple, are you?" He smiled.

"Jonathan."

"Sweetheart, think about it for a minute." He took her hand. "They can bicker with each other at the drop of a hat and they often do, but it's never hurtful or spiteful. They seem to find any excuse to be close to each other or touch each other and it's not something I think they're even aware of. The truth is; they just seem happier when they're together."

"That _is_ true." And then she remembered something Clark said to her. "Do you remember Christmas Eve morning?"

"How could I forget?" Jonathan laughed. "I don't ever remember seeing our son in such a panic."

She shouldn't have laughed because a mother shouldn't take joy in her own son's discomfort, but she did anyway. "I only mention it because of something he said to me when he called to check on Lois. He told me that he was having a hard time seeing the rest of his life without her in it."

"I know how he feels." He leaned over and kissed her.

"So do I." She smiled at him and kissed him back.

"If our son is having such a hard time seeing his life without her in it, you know that there's only one way this situation can go." He said softly. "And I think it's time to consider giving him my mother's engagement ring."

She hadn't expected that. "She did say that she trusted your judgment about any girl he might get serious about."

"Do _you_?" He asked her.

"You know I do, but your mother left that decision up to you."

"She left that decision up to _us_." He shook his head. "She always said that because we had the good sense to choose each other, we would also have the good sense to know when our son was ready to get married."

"You're already planning their wedding?"

That got him to laugh and he squeezed her hand. "Martha, I'm just looking at the situation as it is and seeing how good they are for each other."

"You _are_ planning their wedding!"

"Of course not, that'll be _her_ job." He grinned.

A soft knock stopped her from responding and she looked toward the door. "Come in."

It opened slowly and the sleepy face of Lois peaked in. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all." Martha smiled and waived her in. "I thought you'd be asleep by now."

"I couldn't." She shook her head as she walked into the room.

"I'll leave you two girls to talk." Jonathan reached for his bathrobe, but Lois stopped him.

"You don't need to do that, Mr. Kent." Her face flushed. "This isn't girl talk."

"Then what can we do for you?" He asked as he settled back into bed.

"I just felt like talking." She stated with a shrug as she walked to the rocking chair and sat down.

Martha had to stop a smile because Lois was being well...Lois. And it struck her how the younger woman seemed to be so comfortable in their home that she didn't feel the need to ask if it was all right to sit down.

__

But wasn't that what family was all about?

From the corner of her eye, she saw Jonathan glance at her and he too, was trying not to smile.

"What would you like to talk about?" Her husband looked curious.

She seemed troubled by something and Martha couldn't help but wonder what had her wide awake because Lois was usually such a sound sleeper. She studied her folded hands in her lap and sighed, but couldn't seem to tell them what she was thinking.

"Just tell us, Lois." She urged gently.

"I miss him." Lois finally said and Martha again had to fight the urge to smile. "And that telephone call earlier made me miss him more.

"We miss him too. But I know that isn't what you meant."

She looked up at them and her face was flushed again. "I don't know if he told you this, but he asked me to go back to Washington with him."

Lois must've noticed the startled looks on Martha and Jonathan's faces because her face flushed even more. "It would have all been perfectly respectable. I would have had my own place to live and nothing would have happened that shouldn't, but at least we would have been closer than we are now."

Suddenly, offering Clark his grandmother's engagement ring didn't seem like such a far-fetched idea.

"Why didn't you go with him?" Jonathan asked her.

"Because he realized that as nice as it would have been, he'd probably be traveling so often we still wouldn't get to see each other that much." She told them. "And when we thought about it that way, I decided that I'd rather stay here and be close to the both of you and to my dad."

"We're glad you didn't go, because with you here we miss Clark less."

"I know what you mean." Lois nodded.

"So what exactly is it that's keeping you awake?" Jonathan sat up, as he seemed to make the decision to cut to the chase.

"I was just curious about something, how long has Clark known Lana Luthor?" It was a question she seemed to struggle with. "I feel like I'm prying into something that isn't my business."

Martha sat quietly next to Jonathan, wondering if she was going to mention what had been happening. After Lois had gotten into bed, they'd talked about the situation with Lana again and she'd asked that Martha not say anything to Clark or his father. She felt that she'd have to tell _her_ father soon enough and Lois was concerned how he would take it.

"He and Lana were acquainted in high school but didn't know each other that well." He told her simply and Lois seemed satisfied with his answer. "Because when he wasn't in school, he was here helping me."

"But he still managed to have a girlfriend." She looked confused.

"You know about Rebecca." Martha stated because Clark had obviously mentioned her and Lois smiled.

"He said something about getting caught in the hayloft with her on prom night."

Martha laughed at the memory because she could now, even though it wasn't funny at the time. "She wasn't his girlfriend. They just gravitated to each other because the Carmichael's were our closest neighbors next to the Hubbard's. And the Hubbard kids were much younger than Clark and Rebecca."

"So whose idea was it to go?"

"Hers. Her mother told me afterward that she had no intention of missing her own prom and she asked Clark to take her because she knew he wouldn't have the heart to turn her down."

"He really is an Eagle Scout." Lois shook her head, but the look on her face revealed a woman who was proud of how nice he'd been. "He also said that it was her idea to go up there."

"I'm not quite sure how she managed that." Jonathan looked at Martha and all _she_ could do was shrug. "Clark was so embarrassed by the whole thing that we never talked about it."

"He never mentioned anything to me." She assured him. "And he never quite understood why she stopped talking to him."

"Oh that's an easy one." Lois explained. "She blamed _him_ for ruining _her_ prom night and for getting in trouble with her father."

"What about you? Did you go to _your_ Senior Prom?" Martha asked and Lois rolled her eyes.

"Let's just say that it's a night my date and my military escort will never forget." She told them and looked down at her hands again.

__

A military escort?

That sounded like something Sam would do.

"Does Clark know about that?" Jonathan asked and he was trying not to laugh.

"I told him that after he told me about _his_ prom night." She revealed as she looked up at them. And there was a wistful look on her face for just a moment before she laughed. "_That_ would have been a disaster."

"What would have?" Martha thought she knew what Lois was thinking, but wanted to hear it for herself.

Lois started to laugh again. "Can you imagine?"

When Jonathan started to laugh, she knew she was right. "I can't quite picture the two of you going to Senior Prom together."

"But I _can_ picture Lois talking him up to the hayloft." He smiled.

"And instead of taking us to Mr. Carmichael, you would have taken us to see my dad." Lois shook her head in bemusement. "And _he_ would have sent me to a convent."

"Lois." Martha shook her head. _He wouldn't do that, would he?_

"Trust me on this, Mrs. Kent; he _would_ have if I'd really given him cause."

"Honey, I find that hard to believe." Lois _had_ to be exaggerating.

"If you'd known me ten years ago, you wouldn't be saying that." She laughed just before she put her hands to her cheeks and shook her head again, but didn't elaborate.

"What happened to change that?" Martha asked her.

"I turned eighteen and didn't want to go to college." She explained. "So that meant I wasn't a military dependent anymore and I needed to make a living to support myself."

"And that eventually led you to the _Falcon_." Jonathan said. "How long have you been working there?"

"Just over a year."

"Do you like it?"

Lois shrugged again. "It's probably one of the nicer places that I've worked. And one of the few places that didn't expect the girls to provide extra benefits to the better paying customers."

Martha didn't like the sound of that. "Extra benefits?"

"It's what the boys on the base like to refer to as R and R." Her face was flushed again. "If you catch my meaning."

__

She did.

"I quit more nightclubs than I can count because I wasn't told up front what was expected of me. And then I would find myself in too many wrestling matches because some fellows were expecting."

"Extra benefits." Martha finished for her.

"It comes with the territory." Lois sighed. "And it sometimes makes me wish that I _had_ gone to college. Or at the very least, secretarial school."

"Somehow I just can't see you as a secretary." Jonathan smiled at her.

"Well, that's all water under the bridge anyway. At least I get to come out here and visit with you, so it's not so bad."

"Why don't you come and stay with us?" He asked. "Martha said she mentioned it to you earlier and you turned her down. But being here seems to make you happy and it makes my wife happy."

"I appreciate that Mr. Kent, I really do." And Lois glanced at Martha. "But with gas being rationed, I'll be using more than I'm allowed if I start driving back and forth more than I do now."

"Fair enough." He conceded. "Just as long as you understand that you're always welcome."

"Thanks." And she covered her mouth as she yawned. "I think I'm going to hit the sack and try again."

"Honey, if you find that you still can't sleep just relax and think about some pleasant memories. And if _that_ doesn't work, go downstairs and have some chamomile tea." Martha suggested as Lois got up and headed toward the door.

"I'll keep that in mind." Lois yawned again as she left the room and threw over her shoulder. "See you in the morning." And she closed the door.

They sat together, Martha's hand still in her husband's and she smiled at him.

"Jonathan, I think you need to take your mother's ring to the jewelers tomorrow and have it cleaned." She suggested with a kiss on his cheek, before she leaned over and turned out her bedside lamp and then stretched out under the blankets. "Just in case."

"Consider it done." He leaned over and kissed her cheek in return before he turned out his own lamp and settled down behind her. He put his arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. "My mother would have liked her."

Martha pulled his arm close against her and smiled. "She would have."

"She loved _you_." She heard his sigh behind her as he began to fall asleep.

"And I loved her. I love you too." She felt the need to let him know.

"I love you too, sweetheart."

"Pleasant dreams."

And she heard his soft laugh. "They will be."

Martha smiled to herself as she took her own advice and gathered her happiest memories to roll over in her mind as she closed her eyes.

And then she went to sleep.


	31. Every Little Girl's Dream

Their wedding picture had been there for as long as she could remember.

He didn't talk about her mother much, but Lois knew how much her father still missed her. And the fact that he had a reminder of one of the happiest days of his life propped up on his night table, next to where he slept, she knew how much he still loved her.

She wasn't sure what had caused her to gravitate down to his room and sit at the edge of his bed to look at the old photograph. Maybe it was that she understood better now what it felt like to miss someone who meant so much to you.

And she missed Clark, terribly. But she wasn't about to let anyone know how much.

After she'd wandered into the Kent's room to talk to them a week earlier, she'd never mentioned it again because they knew how much she wanted to see him.

"Next to the days that you and your sister were born, that was the happiest day of my life." Lois heard her father from the doorway, a dishtowel slung over his shoulder and he chuckled. He'd been doing that a lot in recent months and it sounded nice. Odd, but nice. "Your mother may have thought she knew what she was getting herself into, but _I_ knew different."

"I think she knew _exactly_ what she was getting into, Dad." She looked up at him and smiled.

"Maybe you're right, I think maybe I didn't know what I was getting myself into." He walked into the room and sat down next to her. "I just wish we'd had more time."

"So do I." She said and took his hand for a moment and squeezed it before she let it go.

"So did something else bring you down here, or was it just the picture?" He asked her.

"I've seen it a million times since I was a kid because I remember Mom had it on her side of the bed." She told him. "But for some reason, it looks different this time."

"It seems to me that you're looking at that picture differently because you can picture yourself with someone." He was sounding a little too cryptic for her liking.

"Just someone?" She laughed and he tried to give her a stern look.

"Don't be smart now. You know what and whom I'm talking about." He clarified.

Lois nodded just before she sighed; it seemed she was doing that a lot lately. "Any word?"

"I'm still working on it." He said. "The one thing you need to remember is that this _is_ wartime. And as much help as I'm getting to try and do something for young Kent, his transfer is just not a priority."

"I know. And I know you're doing the best you can."

"The wheels _are_ turning; it's just going to take some time."

"I know that too." Lois looked at the picture again. "You looked so happy."

"As far as we knew that day, we had our whole lives ahead of us." He shrugged. "And she always dreamed of having one of her girl's wear that dress when it came their time to get married. Now for obvious reasons, your sister couldn't fit into it."

"Dad." She scolded him. There was no need to bring up the fact that Lucy was in the family way when she got married.

"Don't 'Dad' me, Lo." He shook his head and smiled. "She married the boy and that's all that matters. But I'll be a hell of a lot happier to have the three of them stateside."

"Are they still stuck in England?"

"They were supposed to be on a clipper ship a week ago, but those yahoos at the Embassy lost Andrew's paperwork and then Michael came down with a cold and couldn't travel. So they have to stay until someone can cut new orders for him and the baby gets better." He frowned. "You're trying to sidetrack me."

"How am I doing that?" Sometimes his train of thought was as difficult to follow as Clark's could be.

"I mentioned your mother's dress because I was wondering if you'd like to see it." He looked at her.

"Why would I want to do that?" Lois glared at him.

"You've been staring at that picture for the better part of twenty minutes and I thought that you might want to wear it someday, that's why."

"Who said that I'm getting married?" Her hands started to shake and her heart began to beat just a little harder at the idea.

__

Why did she sound so defensive?

"I'm not saying that you are." He smiled at her as though he knew something she didn't. "_I'm_ just saying that your mother made me promise to keep it in case one of you girls wanted to wear it. And since Lucy couldn't, maybe you'd like to."

"That would be swell if I was getting married, but I'm not." _What was he up to?_

He stood up suddenly and his smile got wider. "I'll take that as a yes."

"But I didn't say that." She insisted, wondering if her father was losing his hearing, if not his marbles.

"Humor me, your mother always did." He laughed softly as he walked to his closet and opened the door. He turned on the light and walked in and Lois could hear him moving boxes around. She couldn't help but smile. For an Army officer, he was too much of a pack rat. "Well, hell." She heard.

"Dad?"

"I'll find it, so don't move." He insisted and Lois laughed. She was her father's daughter after all because she was just as unorganized as he was.

"Are you sure I can't help?" She asked and started to get up off the bed.

"No need, I found it." He walked out of the closet, snapped off the light and closed the door.

"Honestly Dad, the rest of the house is squared away without so much as a dust bunny, but your closet is something out of an episode of 'Fibber McGee and Molly'." She smiled at him.

"And I do need to get that cleaned out one of these days." He shook his head in amusement. "But on to more important things like your mother's dress."

He put a long box on the bed and ran a hand over the top of it.

"Her veil is in there too. Hopefully the moths haven't found it." He sighed. "But if we needed to, we could always find someone to repair it."

"Why would we need to do that because I'm not getting married." And because it was true, why did she suddenly feel as though she was?

"Just take a look at it, will you?"

"Fine." She shrugged and walked over to where it sat. She took the lid off of the box and gingerly lifted the lace veil out. It unfurled in her hands as it cascaded down to the floor and Lois was mesmerized. It was simple as veils went, with part of the lace forming a cap that was trimmed with more lace and the rest of it gathered at the base. It had to be at least a yard in length and was something a girl would wear for a church wedding.

And she remembered that her parents were married at his base chapel.

She laid it carefully on the bed before she picked the dress up and let it unfold in her hands. The weight of it surprised her and almost lost her grip as she tried to get a good look at it. It was simple, but it was in that simplicity that made it so beautiful. The sleeves went to the wrists and were all lace, the bodice had a rounded neckline and it and the full floor length skirt were of satin with lace overlay. There were no other adornments to it and that was what made it so perfect.

Her mother always had simple tastes, but in those tastes there had always been elegance.

Her choice of her wedding gown was no exception.

"Would you like to try it on?" Came the unexpected question and Lois stared at her father in disbelief. "You're just about her size."

"Why would I want to do that?" She asked him for the second time that evening.

"Don't all girls want to try on their mother's wedding dress?" He looked at her.

It had never really occurred to Lois because she'd just always assumed that Lucy would wear it first. From the time that they were girls it seemed it was all her younger sister could talk about, trying on Mom's dress.

He then seemed to try a different approach. "This may be the only chance I get to see you in a wedding dress."

He knew something, of that Lois had no doubt because why would he keep urging her to try it on? And then she relented. "Since you insist."

"I'm doing no such thing." He smiled at her. "It's your mother's fault." He added as he rushed out the door and closed it behind him.

__

Good one Dad; blame Mom.

Lois put the dress down on the bed and wondered what in the hell she was doing. She wasn't sure how Clark really felt about her, other than his admission that he thought he was falling in love with her. But after nearly three and a half months of separation, his feelings for her might have changed.

She wasn't normally a superstitious person, but Lois wondered if putting on her mother's dress without benefit of actually being engaged might not be bad luck. And when it came to Clark Kent, she didn't _want_ any.

Lois continued to debate with herself as she slipped out of her dress and took a deep breath before she picked up the gown and carefully stepped into it, the sound of her heart pounding in her ears as she did. She started to shake again as the dress took form around her, smelling like camphor from the moth balls and was startled to realize that it fit her like a glove.

She looped as many of the buttons as she could before she found the nerve to walk to the standing mirror in the corner of the room. But then stood at the periphery, unable to take that last step which would give her a reflection because that would make it all too real.

To stall the inevitable, and perhaps make things worse she walked back to the bed and picked up the veil. _Might as well do it up, Lo. _She told herself as she found a small metal comb sewn into the front of the crown and swept it into her hair, securing it.

Lois didn't have the chance to walk back to the mirror before she heard the faint ringing of the telephone and thought she would get a reprieve from her father getting a look at her.

_No such luck._Because there was a soft knock on the door."Are you decent?"

Her face flushed and she sighed. "Come in."

When he stepped in, his own face flushed and a suspicious moisture clouded his eyes. "You're a picture of your mother."

That was all she needed and her own eyes teared.

"Young Kent is waiting for you on the telephone." He cleared his throat and blinked. "Why don't you go get it?"

"I can't talk to him in this."

And then her father smiled at her. "It's only bad luck if he _sees_ you before the wedding."

She stared at her father incredulously; what in the hell was he talking about?

"Let's double-time it Lo, the boy only has two minutes." He gestured her out of the room. She started to move and the weight of the dress and the veil slowed her down. Her father walked over to her, reached down and lifted the bottom of the skirt and showed her a sewn in loop. He slipped it over her wrist and draped the veil across her arm. "Let's move."

How on earth did she manage to get herself into situations like this?

The shaking she felt when she put the dress on only got worse as she picked up the receiver. It was silly, she knew because he couldn't see her. But she smiled when she heard his voice and the shaking subsided.

_"You're a hard woman to track down." _He sounded like he was trying not to laugh.

"How hard can it be? I'm at the _Falcon_, with your parents or here. It shouldn't be _that_ difficult." She felt her face flush. "So why _did _you feel the need to track me down?"

_"I just wanted to hear your voice." _She heard him sigh. _"I miss you."_

"I miss you too, and it doesn't help things when you tell me that." She scolded him.

__

"I know. I just don't want you to think I've forgotten about you."

Lois smiled again. "Now how could I possibly think that when I get a letter, sometimes two every week and a telephone call every two?"

_"Maybe because you want to hear __my voice?" _He wondered out loud.

"That goes without saying, Clark." She really _did_ miss him. "But sooner or later, that transfer _has_ to come through and then you'll come home and we'll get tired of seeing each other."

_"I don't think so."_ The soft sound of his voice told her the same. _"I'm counting the days, you know."_

"You'll drive yourself crazy if you do that." She admonished him again. "So try not to think about it."

_"I dream about it."_ His voice had dropped to a husky whisper and suddenly Lois got the feeling that he wasn't talking about his homecoming. And she had no words to answer such a bold admission because how could she admit to him that she'd dreamed of it too?

_"Lois?"_

"I'm here." She swallowed nervously and then looked down at what she was wearing. "We never really talked about that, did we?"

_"It wouldn't have made much sense because the clock was already ticking before we met." _He told her._ "And it's ticking on us once again." His voice had regained its normal tone and she could see him looking at his wristwatch._

_"So before we get cut off, I'll say goodnight."_

"Sleep well."

_"I will, you too."_ He was quiet.

And she smiled. "On the count of three."

He laughed. _"On three."_

"One."

__

"Two."

"Three." _"Three." _They said it together and the line went dead. She put the receiver back in the cradle and it was then she felt the first tear roll down her cheek. She held her breath to try and stop the second one she felt roll down her other cheek, but that just seemed to open the floodgates.

She felt herself turned and pulled into her father's arms as she cried silently. Her body started to shake again and she felt his comforting hand across her shoulders. "Let go if you need to."

She shook her head and refused. If she didn't give herself that luxury when Clark had gone back to Washington, she wasn't about to do it now.

"Stubborn girl." He said with a chuckle.

"I get that from _you_." She managed to whisper.

"That you do." He agreed as he continued to comfort her.

"Dad?" She tried to take a deep breath, but couldn't quite manage.

"Yes?"

"Do you think you can lean on someone else to get him home?" _She needed him._

"I'll see what I can do." He promised her as the ache in her chest slowly eased and she was able to take that deep breath. "You've been keeping that bottled up, haven't you?"

She stepped away from him and he handed her a freshly pressed handkerchief. She dabbed at her eyes and her nose before she nodded. "It wasn't going to change anything."

"That's true, but sometimes it's necessary." He answered. "Now why don't you get changed out of that, wash your face and we'll have dessert."

"Chocolate pie?" She looked up at him and knew she must be a sight and he nodded again.

"You're favorite."

"You remember?"

"I remember more than you give me credit for, but that's my fault." He shrugged.

"Dad?"

"What is it?" He folded his arms across his chest.

"Thank you for what you're doing. I really do appreciate it." She turned for the hall.

"I know you do. And we _will _get him home."

"I know that too." She stopped and turned back around and indicated the dress. "Why did you do this?"

"Because I wanted you to at least consider the possibility that it could happen someday." He explained. "You've been on your own since you turned eighteen and have refused my help, even when you really needed it. But I never tried to argue with you because I knew I'd lose.

"I was never crazy about the life you chose, but it was something you wanted to do and you were able to support yourself, for the most part. And it was because of that choice that you met someone who just might be worth wearing that dress for."

"And what makes you think _he_ would be the one?"

"Because he makes you happy and he brings out this side of you that I haven't seen since you were little. You're both so serious and so focused on your jobs, but when you're together you bubble like a bottle of champagne."

"Champagne?" Clark wasn't the _only_ one who was a sap.

"Chemistry, Lo." He let out an irritated sigh. "The two of you have chemistry like I've never seen you have with any other fellow; I saw it the first time I met him. He cares for you, deeply and I don't think it's unreasonable to consider the possibility that he could be thinking about something permanent down the road."

Lois didn't know what to say to that because it wasn't something she'd thought about. Her focus since he'd left had been getting him back to Smallville and the idea of marriage had never crossed her mind. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Just think about it." He avoided her question and she knew if she pressed, he would get stubborn. _Like father, like daughter._

"Do you think he's going to propose?" She had to ask.

"I'm not saying that at all." He shook his head. "I just think with the way things have moved so quickly between you two and with how close you've become, it's not difficult to think he might."

She took the veil off and carefully folded it. "Do you like him?"

"I like him and I trust him." He answered. "And I think you do to."

Lois nodded and the General smiled at her. "Let's get him home first and we'll see what happens after that." He turned her bodily toward his room and nudged her. "Now go and change so we can have dessert."

"Dad?"

"What is it?"

She felt her face warm as she looked at him. "I think Mom would have liked him too."

"You're mother would have loved him because he makes her little girl so happy." And he gestured with his hands that told her to move.

"I'm going, I'm going." She told him as she walked down to his room.

"Don't be afraid of it, Lo." He called after her quietly. "It's scary as hell at first, but worth it in the end."

"I'll remember that." She tossed back over her shoulder before she walked back into his room and closed the door.


	32. Home is Where the Heart Is

In his last letters to his parents and to Lois, Clark hadn't told them he was coming home because it still seemed to be in doubt. And it wasn't until he had the signed transfer papers in his hands that he knew he was going to be able to leave Washington for good.

He never settled down while he lived there, choosing to reside in a rooming house instead. It didn't make sense to find an apartment anyway because he would have had to furnish it. And because he was gone so much of the time, it would have been a waste of money.

His heart had never been in Washington, anyway. It had been with his parents in Kansas when he'd left to go to the Academy and when he had returned after his assignment to protect Lois; his heart was with her, too.

In fact his heart and his mind were _always_ with her since he'd had to leave her in Smallville. And the longer they were separated, the more he missed her and his dreams reminded him so vividly of how much he wanted her. But it wasn't the physical intimacy that dominated his thoughts as much as the opportunity just to talk to her and feel her close in his arms.

Those were the things he'd missed so much being away from her and it deepened the feelings he already had. And it hadn't taken him long, driving away from the _Falcon_ to be exact, for him to know without a doubt that he loved her.

He was almost certain he'd been in love with her on Christmas Eve but the feelings were so new that he didn't have the confidence to admit to them, even after she'd told him that she thought she might be in love with him. But it was for the best that he hadn't found that confidence otherwise leaving would have been much harder than it had been already.

And now, he was nearly home.

Clark turned off the main road and onto the lane that would take him the last hundred yards to his parents house. When he finally came to a stop, he shut down the engine and turned off the headlights. He sat in the quiet of the car just to have the chance to listen to...nothing. No traffic up and down the street at all hours, no sirens from police cars and fire engines, the chatter of people out on the street or outside his door. Just blessed peace and quiet.

The air was fresh and smelled of all the things Clark remembered from his childhood and he smiled in relief that he would never have to go back to Washington. He opened his door, stepped out and then stretched. He really should have thought about stopping overnight in Kansas City after he presented his transfer papers to the field office, but he wanted to get back to Smallville so he could sleep for a few hours in his own bed.

Before he left, he was told that a courier would deliver his papers but Clark had insisted on taking them. He wanted to be absolutely certain that they reached their intended destination and the only way he could be sure of that was if he took them himself.

Mr. Kelly was pleased and a little surprised to receive them personally, but understood the young agent's insistence on doing so. He also encouraged Clark to find a hotel and rest before finishing his journey, but didn't seem phased by his determination to get home that night.

His attention was drawn to a 'woof' coming from the direction of the barn as Shelby ran to him at a gallop. Clark put a finger to his lips to signal him not to bark and to his amazement, the dog seemed to understand. _Lois was right about that. _He woofed again and his tail wagged furiously as he ran circles around Clark. He bumped his young owner with his nose and Clark laughed softly as Shelby couldn't seem to get enough of being petted between his ears. "Hey, boy. It's been awhile." He grinned as he closed his door quietly and opened the back door to pull his two suitcases from the back seat.

He didn't want to wake his parents because he wanted to surprise them in the morning by coming downstairs as though he'd gone to sleep in his own room the night before. So with as little noise as he could manage, he walked up the path to the front door. He set one of the suitcases down on the porch to open the door and before he had the chance to pick it up Shelby brushed by him, trotted into the parlor and settled down in front of the glowing embers of a dead fire.

Spring was in the air, but the nights were still cool. That must have been why there had been a fire in the fireplace.

He stood in the front hallway for a long moment and took a deep breath of home and smiled as he closed the door behind him. If he thought that five years was a long time to be away from home, the last three and a half months seemed even longer than that.

Clark carried his suitcases upstairs to his room and after he opened the door, set them just inside before he closed it. He reached for the light switch, but at the last moment decided against it because his eyes were accustomed to the dim light and that was more conducive to sleep, which he wanted badly.

He shrugged out of his hat and coat, dropped them on the back of his old desk chair and wanted nothing more than to take a shower. He'd been driving for nearly two days straight and knew he wouldn't sleep well if he didn't get cleaned up.

As he fished in his dresser for something clean to change into, rather than rummaging through his suitcases, he thought he could smell lilacs. It had to be his imagination because he wanted to see her so much and he would, the first thing after breakfast. He planned on driving into Smallville because they had a lot of time to make up for.

Ten minutes later, he was showered and ready for bed. He hung the damp towel that he'd dried his hair with on the towel rack and opened the door. He glanced down the hall toward his parent's room, hoping he hadn't wakened them as he padded out of the bathroom back into his room and closed his door for the night.

He was suddenly so sleepy and was having a difficult time keeping his eyes open. He tossed back the blankets and sat down on the edge of the mattress. He took another deep breath and sighed and he swore that he could smell lilacs again.

_You're tired and you've missed her, that's all. _Clark told himself as he got into bed, stretched out and smiled because he was finally home. He slowly relaxed before he rolled onto his side and into a more comfortable position.

Now if he hadn't fallen into such a deep sleep as quickly as he did, he would have felt the bed dip as it's original occupant quietly moved over. He would have felt her snuggle up against him and feel her arm curl around his waist as she rest her cheek against his shoulder.

As far as Clark knew, he was having a variation on the same dream he'd had after he and Lois kissed in the alcove. There was never any real detail to it, but it always consisted of feeling her next to him in his bed and she was wearing the same nightdress he'd seen her in on Christmas Eve morning.

This dream was different however because the feel of her had more substance and the scent of lilacs surrounded him, the same way that _she_ was. It had a vivid quality to it too that he'd never experienced before and as he settled in, enjoyed the feel of her warmth and softness so close to him.

Even if it was just a dream.

"Clark?" He heard her whisper his name.

__

Or was it?

He felt like a swimmer who was rapidly returning to the surface of the water after a dive and the reality of the situation hit him as his conscious broke to the surface and he was awake. His heart accelerated at a rapid pace when he realized that the feel of Lois sleeping next to him was no dream.

"You're home." He heard her say quietly as she snuggled closer.

She _had_ to be dreaming and Clark knew he shouldn't be smiling. But he couldn't seem to help it because for the first time in his life, one of his dreams had come true.

"Lois?" He tried to glance over his shoulder, but she was so close to him he couldn't see her very well. "Honey, you have to wake up."

__

Honey?

He liked the way that sounded.

"I _am_ awake." And he felt her gentle laugh. "The first time you opened the bedroom door, I was awake."

"Then why didn't you say something?" He took her hand in his and kissed her fingers.

"Because if I did, you would have gone down to the parlor." She admitted with a sigh. "And I just wanted to be close to you for awhile; you've been gone for so long."

"I really should go downstairs." He told her but was in no hurry to move.

"It would be the proper thing to do." He felt her nod against him. "Your parents _are_ down the hall and we're not married."

"It wouldn't look very good if Mom or Dad found me in here."

"Well if we'd known you were coming, we could have been better prepared." She rubbed her cheek against his tee shirt. "But I kind of like this arrangement."

So did _he_ and that was the problem. "Lois?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you in my bed?" He felt his face flush at the question and smiled.

"I _was_ sleeping." She laughed again before she explained. "Every time your parents or I get a letter from you, and they usually come about the same time, they invite me for dinner. Then after we get the kitchen squared away, we share your letters with each other over coffee. And by the time we finish, it's usually a little late to drive back to town, so your mother always asks me to stay here."

"So was that what you were doing tonight?"

She shook her head and then proceeded to scold him. "Not this time, just dinner. We got your last letters a few days ago, in which _you_ failed to mention that your transfer came through."

"I didn't fail to mention it. It just wasn't official yet when I wrote to you and I didn't want to get all of your hopes up and then have it fall through."

"You're forgiven, especially since you called me 'Honey'." He could almost see her smile. "No one has ever called me that before."

"Well someone has now." Clark smiled and kissed her fingers again. He really wanted to look at her as they talked, but wasn't sure if it was the wisest thing for them to do. But Lois took that decision out of his hands.

"Clark?"

"Mm-hmm?"

"As much as I like being so close, I'd really like to see you."

He wanted to see her too. And while it might not have been the wisest thing for him to do, it was what his heart wanted to do. So he shifted, to let her know he was moving and she let go of him long enough to let him turn over.

Clark couldn't shake the feeling as he did, that as much as his heart wanted it they were tempting fate beyond it's limits, or theirs. Even knowing that though, he didn't hesitate to take her in his arms once he'd settled next to her. Then his heart stopped for a moment when he got to look into the gray eyes that had haunted his dreams since he'd left her standing at her window three and a half months earlier. And the words tumbled out before he had a chance to think about them. "I love you."

She hadn't expected it, of that he was certain. "What?"

He brushed a lock of hair away from her face and repeated it. "I love you."

"You do?" Lois looked absolutely stunned. "You love me?"

"And this surprises you?" He teased her.

Lois shook her head and the happiness Clark felt in declaring himself to her quickly began to ebb. It never occurred to him that her feelings might have changed while he was gone and the intimate situation he found them in suddenly felt very wrong. "I thought it was just a ploy to get me into your bed." She finally said and then smiled. "But since I'm already here, I don't think it's going to work."

"Just for that, I should go down to the parlor. I think Shelby would appreciate my company more than _you_ seem to." He moved, to make her think he was getting out of bed but she grabbed his tee shirt and pulled him back toward her.

"You're not going anywhere buster; at least until you kiss me. "

"And if I don't?"

"Then you'll have to stay here with me until you do." She brushed her lips against his.

If that was the best she could do; she'd have to try a little harder.

"Either way, we both win." He grinned at her and she flushed.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Kiss me and find out." Clark challenged her and Lois looked surprised, but definitely very pleased.

"Where's an Eagle Scout when a girl needs him?" She smiled as he pulled her back into his arms.

"He's right here."

He could see in the faint light of the moon coming through his bedroom window, Lois raise her eyebrow at him. "Uh-huh."

And that got Clark to swallow a nervous lump in his throat. "Lois, as much as I've thought about it I'm not ready for that yet. What we're doing right now is all I want."

"Clark, we're not _doing_ anything." Her laugh was soft and a little breathless; she must have been thinking the same thing as he felt her arms circle his waist.

"Want to make a bet?" He smiled at her again, just before he pressed her gently down into the mattress and kissed her.

The moment her warm lips moved under his, he sighed in contentment at the feel of their softness and she smiled. It was so much nicer than he remembered and even his dreams couldn't duplicate properly the warmth of her skin or the feel of her body pressed so close against his.

Her hands found their way under his shirt as they kissed and it was his turn to smile. Another dream was coming true as he felt her light touch on his back and the trail of goose bumps she was leaving behind in a gentle wake.

But it didn't seem to be enough for her as she began to tug at it, trying to pull it off.

"Lois." He reluctantly broke their kiss and looked at her closed eyes; the joy on her face was almost more than he could bear. "We can't do that."

She opened them and nodded. "Yes we can because I'm not ready for that either, this is all I want."

"It might be. But if we start this, there's no guarantee that we'll be able to stop." He reasoned.

"Do you trust me?" Her look was serious.

He nodded. "Yes."

"Good, because I trust you too. And that means when those voices in our heads tell us that we have to stop we will." She sounded so reassuring and he believed her. "We'll have to."

"I really do love you." _And he loved saying it._

"I know." She smiled at him as her face flushed again and he understood that she wasn't ready to tell him how she felt about him just yet. But that was all right, he could wait. "Clark?"

"Hmm?"

"Shirt?" Her face reddened even more.

"Are you sure about this?" He wanted to give her once last chance to back out but truth be told he was stalling. She'd never seen him in anything less than his tee shirt and didn't know exactly what she was expecting; he just didn't want her to be disappointed.

"Come on, give." She tugged again and he complied hesitantly, not wanting her to feel that he was rushing her into anything. "Give."

He had to squelch the sudden urge to laugh because she was being so serious about it. But what they were about to do _was_ serious and it died in his throat as he sat up so he could do as she asked because all she did was stare.

His heart kicked into double time as he watched her reaction to seeing him and wondered what was going through her mind when he heard her short breath of surprise.

"Oh." Came her whispered response as her hands found his shoulders and her warm skin skimmed his. He knew then that he should have insisted that his shirt stay on because suddenly what they were doing wasn't enough.

He saw her swallow nervously as her hands moved down to follow the contours of his arms and then traveled back up to his shoulders, learning the feel of him. It was only when she began to move her hands down his chest that she stopped and swallowed again.

"Out." She closed her eyes and dropped her hands to the bed. He heard her take a deep breath, and then another and knew they _had_ started something that neither was ready for. "You have to get out, now. Please."

His body began to shake as he pulled his tee shirt back on without another word and got out of the bed. "Are you all right?"

She nodded her head, but refused to open her eyes. "Yes, but you need to go."

"Lois." He stood at the side of the bed and didn't know what to say to her.

"And please don't apologize because I'm not sorry." Clark had never heard her sound so breathless and it worried him. "I trusted you to stop when I asked, and you did."

"Ever the Eagle Scout." He ventured some humor to try and lighten the awkward situation he'd created and waited for her to tell him that it wasn't funny. But it never came.

"I wouldn't have expected anything less." A soft smile crossed her face just before he saw a tear roll out of the corner of her eye.

__

He was such a heel.

"Clark?"

"Yes?"

"Did you really mean it?" She asked him.

"With all my heart." He swallowed, trying to dislodge the knot in his throat.

"Then please don't blame yourself for this." She requested as she slowly opened her eyes and looked at him. "You didn't know I was in here, but I knew _you_ were. And that put you in a position you shouldn't have been put in."

He sat down on the edge of the bed and took her hand. It was trembling, badly but then so was his. "This isn't about blame Lois. It's about us wanting something that we're not ready for and maybe wishing that we were." And then he sighed. "When that time comes, I want it to be when it feels like it's the right thing to do and not feel guilty about it."

"You don't want to repeat past mistakes." She stated and he nodded as he brushed the tears from her eyes.

"I made enough of those getting involved with _her_ and I'd like to think that I learned from them."

"If we _were_ ready, it would be so easy because your parent's don't know you're here." She mused.

"But _we_ would know and we'd have to face them in the morning." He said.

"And it would just be a matter of time before they figured it out." She finished for him with a nod. "The idea of having to face _your_ parents, never mind the General, to explain to them what we did in your bed is an experience that I'd rather skip."

"Are we going to tell them what happened tonight?"

She shook her head. "I'd like to keep this between us."

"All right." He agreed with a nod and started to stand, but Lois grabbed his arm. "What is it?"

"I'm glad you're home." And she smiled at him. "I'll sleep much better now."

"At least _one_ of us will." He joked. "I have the feeling I'll be up the rest of the night thinking about this."

"You relive it your way and I'll relive it mine." She teased him and Clark smiled, _Christmas Eve_.

"Fair enough."

"Clark?"

"Yes?" And he laughed softly.

"You really need to leave now."

"Lois?" He smiled at her.

"What?"

"Goodnight." He leaned over and kissed her. And just as quickly he felt her hands on his chest, giving him a gentle push.

"Out." She requested with a smile. "Please."

"I'm glad to be home too. I'll see you in the morning." And he stood up.

"In case you hadn't noticed, it already _is_ morning." She stated the obvious. "So you really should be saying, I'll see you later."

"How about I say nothing and let you go back to sleep."

"How about _I_ say that's a great idea and let _you_ go downstairs."

"It's nice to see that some things won't change." He told her before turning for the bedroom door.

"And it's nice to see that some things have." She replied softly as he opened the door and checked the hallway. "Goodnight, Clark."

He stepped out into the hall and turned for a moment. "Goodnight, Lois." He smiled at her before he closed the door and stepped lightly to the linen closet. He shook his head in amusement because once again, Lois was in his bed and he was relegated to the sofa. The difference was, now he knew how it felt to share his bed with her.

And it was _much_ more appealing than the parlor sofa.

He got a spare pillow and blanket and went downstairs. When he walked into the parlor, he tossed the bedding onto the sofa and Shelby's head bobbed up at the sudden movement. His head went back down when he seemed to realize who it was and Clark smiled. Everything was the way it should be, almost.

He took a long look at the sofa and then the dark fireplace. He knew he wouldn't be sleeping any time soon and he'd missed the warmth and cheer of a nice fire since he'd been gone. So he decided that if he was going to be staying up, he might as well be comfortable.

Minutes later he had a fire going and it occurred to him the last one he built had been for Lois.

He propped the pillow against the arm of the sofa with the intention of lying down and at least trying to rest, but he couldn't even do that after he sat down. Too many thoughts were crowding his mind and he sighed because all he really wanted to do was go back upstairs and sleep in his own bed, with Lois in his arms.

"I should have guessed." He heard a gentle laugh as she walked into the parlor. "Your dad's better at that then you are, though."

"That's because he's had a lot more experience at it then me." Clark smiled as Lois sat down next to him, took his hand and put her head on his shoulder.

"You can't sleep?"

She shook her head. "And we both know whose fault _that_ is."

"I take full responsibility." He grinned.

"As well you should." She gave him a light punch in the arm. "Waking a girl up in the middle of the night to ravish her."

His face warmed at the thought of it. "I didn't wake you up Lois and I didn't hear you complaining, either."

"If you hadn't been so good at it, I _might_ have." She shot back. "But after you came down here, I didn't want to be up there by myself."

"If you stay down here, they'll find us together." He knew he was telling her something she was already aware of and wanted nothing more than for her to stay but knew she shouldn't.

"Better down here on the sofa than in your bed, don't you think?" She asked.

"It would be better if they found _me_ down here and _you_ up there. That's what _I_ think."

She sat up and leveled a look at him. "What can happen?"

He sighed in resignation, knowing the argument was lost.

"Besides, as long as you behave yourself the only thing your parents are going to see is us sharing the sofa."

"As long as I behave _my_self." _He'd really missed it, the easy banter with her. _"Can I count on you to behave _your_self?"

"There's only one way to find out." She smiled at him. "So what do you say?"

"I say that I've lost my mind for letting you talk me into this." But his smile told her that he didn't think it was such a bad deal.

"You haven't lost your mind Clark; you've lost your heart." She kissed his cheek and added. "To me."

"Is there any chance that maybe you've lost your heart to me, too?" He watched her face flush and though he thought he already knew how she felt, he shouldn't have pressed her for an answer. "Never mind."

Lois took his face in her hands and kissed him. "I've never felt for anyone else, what I feel for you. But if I tell you that I love you, I want to know without a doubt it's what I really feel."

"Fair enough." He conceded. "And I won't mention it again."

"You're not mad?"

Clark shook his head and took her hand in reassurance. "I have no reason to be. You've just told me that your feelings for me are something you've never felt before and that's enough."

"Are you sure?" It always unnerved him to see her so uncertain so he leaned in to kiss her and then nodded.

"I'm sure." He said as he took her down with him on the sofa and covered them in the blanket. He couldn't help but wish that she wasn't wearing her robe because he wanted to be able to feel the warmth of her under his hands. But he also knew that since they were going to be found by his parents in the morning, they would look less guilty if she were fully covered.

"Clark?" He felt her sigh as she tucked her head under his chin.

"What is it Lois?"

"My dad is the only one who's ever told me that he loved me and meant it." She rubbed her cheek against his shirt.

"I'm honored to be the second, then." He kissed the top of her head. "Go to sleep now. We'll deal with all of this in the morning."

She nodded and sighed again as he felt her relax. It didn't take long for him to feel her even breathing and Clark knew that she'd gone to sleep. His own eyes began to feel heavy and before he knew it, he'd fallen asleep as well.

And he dreamed of the beautiful woman who was asleep in his arms.


	33. What's a Girl to Do

The sun hit her square in her closed eyes and Lois squeezed them tight, just before she rolled over and away from the morning sun.

After she did, she thought she could smell Clark's shaving soap in the extra pillow but that was impossible; he was still in Washington. She decided that it had to be her imagination because she missed him so much.

Maybe it was the fact that she was sleeping in his bed and falling in love with him that she conjured up a dream that had her in his arms and touching him in a way she never thought she would. He told her that he loved her and as much as she wanted to tell him how she felt she couldn't.

Love was something she hadn't had a lot of experience with and other than her father and sister, imperfect as it was, no one had ever really loved her. Well, except for her mother but Lois didn't really remember her. But _he'd_ said it and she wondered if maybe it was how he really felt or if it was how she _wished_ he felt.

The thing of it was, she'd never felt so warm, secure and most of all, cherished. Everything between them had been so slow and unhurried, as their whole unexpected relationship had been so far and she couldn't help but wonder if making love with him would be the same way. The thought of such intimacy with him tripped the steady beat of her heart as her eyes finally opened.

And it was then she could see that what happened couldn't have been a dream. His suitcases were sitting by the door and on further inspection of the room, his hat and coat were tossed across his desk chair.

__

He was home.

The idea didn't take long to sink in to her sleep addled brain and she threw the blankets back and grabbed for her bathrobe at the foot of the bed. A bathrobe he must have taken off of her when he'd brought her back upstairs, rather than being found together by his parents on the sofa.

It hadn't been a dream, Lois smiled as she cinched the belt and shoved her feet into her slippers. She made it as far as the door and hesitated because of what had happened between them and worried that it would change the way he looked at her.

She took a steadying breath before she opened the door and headed toward the stairs.

The closer she got to the top of the staircase; she could hear Clark and his parents down in the kitchen. They were talking and laughing and she knew how happy the Kent's were to have him home, because she was too.

As she descended, she tried to figure out how they would play out his return and decided to let him take the lead. Mr. and Mrs. Kent didn't need to know that they'd already seen each other and they _certainly_ didn't need to know that he'd been with her in his bed.

When she got to the bottom of the stairs she saw Clark sitting at the kitchen table across from his father and she smiled. Mrs. Kent saw her before he did and smiled back. "Good morning, honey; look who's home."

When he stood up, his face was flushed and could barely contain a grin when he saw her. He was dressed casually with an open flannel shirt over his tee shirt, dungarees and work boots and Lois thought he'd never looked so handsome. "Shelby will drag _any_thing into the house, won't he?"

"That's because my dog is smart." He smiled. "He knows who feeds him."

"That would be _me_." She smiled back.

"Only because I haven't been here." He couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her and she blushed from the intensity of his gaze.

"And whose fault is that?"

"Mine."

She nodded. "And don't you forget it."

"Well Martha, it's nice to know the kids haven't lost their touch." Mr. Kent chuckled from behind the morning edition of the _Smallville Ledger. _"I have a feeling things are going to be pretty lively from now on."

"I hope so." Mrs. Kent looked at her in surprise. "Lois, you're up early."

"I was a little disoriented when I woke up this morning." She raised a subtle eyebrow at Clark and he gave her a surreptitious shrug. "I thought I was hallucinating."

"It might help if you cut down on the coffee." He remarked. "Then things like that wouldn't happen."

"Maybe, but you could probably stand to drink a little more." She tossed back.

He answered her with a soft laugh and for the first time since she'd met him, he looked happy and very content. "Well, Dad asked me to chop some firewood, so I need to get moving. Thanks for breakfast, Mom." And he kissed her cheek. "No one can fry eggs like you."

"You're welcome honey." Mrs. Kent looked a little perplexed as her son headed to the service porch door without another word. "Clark, aren't you forgetting something?"

He turned around and Lois tried not to laugh at the blank look he gave his mother. "Like what?"

__

Who did he think he was he kidding?

She inclined her head toward Lois and he plastered a look of confusion on his face for a moment and then smiled. "Where are my manners? It's nice to see you again Lois." And he turned back around, opened the door and walked out onto the service porch, closing it behind him.

Mr. Kent suddenly started to cough from behind his newspaper and it didn't take much to figure out that he was trying to cover his fit of laughter. Lois was trying to keep a straight face herself as an indignant Mrs. Kent stared at the closed door. "What is _wrong_ with him?"

As Lois walked to the stove to pour herself a cup of coffee, Mr. Kent looked up at her and they shared a smile. "Don't be too hard on him, Mrs. Kent. If he's so eager to blister his hands chopping firewood, that's his business."

"I hope he remembers to wear his gloves." She fretted and turned to face Lois. "The griddle is still hot. What can I get for you this morning?"

"Scrambled eggs might be nice." Mr. Kent suggested just before he coughed again and to her credit, Mrs. Kent smiled.

"I don't think Lois will ever look at scrambled eggs the same way again." She laughed and Lois shrugged self-consciously.

"Over easy would be fine."

"Over easy and extra burnt bacon coming up." She nodded and proceeded to crack the eggs onto the waiting griddle.

oooooo

A hearty breakfast, hot shower and two and a half hours later, Lois found herself walking toward the barn because she'd seen Clark head in that direction earlier.

Mrs. Kent had commented that he seemed to fall back into his routine of chores so easily that morning and Lois wondered why Mr. Kent was letting him do it after being so adamant that he couldn't.

She found him in the breezeway, oiling a saddle while Shelby was barking at birds that were making use of the open space and flying around. "Leave them alone Shelby." He insisted firmly and not only did the dog stop barking, but turned and trotted out of the barn.

"I think you scared him." Lois commented as she watched him head toward the house.

"Shelby doesn't scare that easily." Clark told her without turning to look at her and continued to work on the saddle. "You don't either, for that matter."

"You're comparing me to your dog?"

His shoulders hunched up and she could see he was laughing. "I think you know me better than that."

"Just checking." She smiled at him. "You left your mother a little confused when you walked out of the kitchen earlier."

"I know." He acknowledged.

"I think she was expecting you to give me a warmer welcome."

"I know that too." He nodded. "But I also knew you would understand."

"I did and so did your dad."

"I figured he would. Mom always says that we're two peas in a pod."

"So what does that make _us_?" She wondered out loud.

"After last night I'd say we were two spoons in a drawer." He stopped working the saddle. "We just fit together."

"Now you're comparing me to a spoon?" _She had to say it. _"I don't think that can be classified as an endearment."

"You're in rare form this morning, what gives?" He asked her as he turned the cloth over and kept rubbing.

"You told me that you loved me, that's what gives." Lois said quietly and it was that which got Clark to stop and put the oilcloth down. He grabbed a clean rag to wipe his hands off with before he turned to face her. "I was thinking when I woke up this morning that I dreamed the whole thing and that you weren't really home. But then I saw your suitcases and realized that we _had_ shared your bed and the sofa."

"As much as I wanted you to stay with me, I didn't want my parents to find us like that." He looked down and sighed as he scuffed the toe of his boot in the dirt. "I didn't want them to think that I take this thing with you so lightly."

"I don't think they would Clark." She approached him. "I think they know that we're taking our time because everything happened so fast. And if they _had_ found us together, they would have known that nothing happened because we respect them too much."

"They care about you a lot, you know." He looked up at her and was smiling. "Though I can't figure out why."

"Well, their son is in love with me and _I_ can't figure out why." She smiled back at him.

He put the rag down and stepped forward. "You can't?"

"I haven't a clue." She shook her head as he closed the distance.

"It's pretty simple really; you make me happy." He stated as he grasped her elbows and pulled her to him.

"That's all?" She asked innocently as she felt his hands move to her waist and draw her even closer as she put her hands on his arms.

__

Such strong arms that could hold her so gently.

He shook his head. "I like the way you kiss me."

"And that's why you love me?" Lois had to laugh as she moved her hands up his arms, much in the same way she'd done the night before and clasped them behind his neck.

"It's one of _many_ things." He nodded as his head dipped.

She raised her face to his, expecting a kiss and he shook his head again.

"Not yet." He said quietly in her ear as he held her in his arms and she could feel the steady beat of his heart. It was beating a little too quickly at the moment, but it was sure and strong. "As much as I like kissing you, holding you is just as nice."

She felt his cheek against her hair as his hands slowly began to roam the length of her back and Lois sighed. "We really shouldn't be doing this here."

"I'm just holding you, Lois." He brushed her ear with his lips and her knees started to shake. "Now, if I wanted to kiss you, that would be a different matter." He said to her just before he picked her up bodily, moved a few feet inside the barn and set her down again. He wasted no time in catching her lips in a damp kiss as he pressed her body gently against the wall with his.

Her fingers curled into his hair as she kissed him back and she smiled, though she knew she really shouldn't when she felt the back of her blouse being pulled out of her slacks. She knew what he was doing but still started in surprise when she felt his hands on her skin.

"My turn." He whispered against her lips and then kissed her again. Her knees threatened to buckle at the friction of his rough skin against her softness and the temptation to pull the back of his tee shirt out of his dungarees and answer his action was strong. But Lois knew if she did it might not stop there and she was not about to make love with the man she loved on a dirt floor in the barn.

And there it was; _she loved him._

It was such a simple phrase and yet it carried with it the key to her happiness and possibly her future. She was utterly and completely in love with a man she was still coming to know, but a man she trusted as much as her own father.

It surprised her that she couldn't see it before that moment when it was so patently obvious to her now.

The sudden sound of Mr. Kent loudly clearing his throat, just outside the barn made Lois freeze. "Oh, god."

And she could feel Clark laughing against her.

"This isn't funny." She whispered in mortification.

"Yes it is." He laughed softly. "It _was_ bound to happen."

"Son, the hayloft is usually the place to go for things like that." Lois heard the amusement in his voice as she pulled away from Clark.

She tucked her blouse back into her slacks with Clark's unnecessary assistance and slapped his hands away because he was enjoying it far too much. "Stop that!" She whispered as he laughed again and kissed her as she smoothed her hair down the best she could.

When she found the nerve to look up at him, she expected to see a grin; but all he gave her was an adorable smile. "Is is safe to come into my own barn?"

"It's okay Dad." They turned to face Mr. Kent as he walked in and Lois felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment as she felt Clark close behind her; a little _too_ close for her liking.

"And here your mother was concerned when you didn't give Lois a proper hello." He was trying to look serious. "I guess she doesn't need to worry about that anymore."

"I was going to get around to it." She heard him say. "Eventually."

"I guess _this _was eventually." He seemed to be trying his best to stop a wide smile. "I was coming out here to say that I put Lois' overnight bag and her purse in the truck and if you want to take her home; I'll finish up the morning chores. I wouldn't have asked you to help in the first place, but I needed to get in to town to the feed store and it couldn't wait; but the chores couldn't either."

"I didn't mind."

"I know that, but don't think you'll be making a habit of it." He said.

"You've got more important things to do." They said in unison.

"I know, Dad."

"Don't get smart, son." He admonished, but did it with a smile. "Now go on you two; I've got work to do."

"I won't be long."

"Take your time." Mr. Kent smiled at Lois. "You haven't seen this young woman for three and a half months and you should spend some time with her."

"Do I have to?" She heard him laugh.

"I like that." Lois looked over her shoulder with an amused frown and he looked too content for his own good. "See if I ever cook dinner for _you_ again."

"Is that a promise or a threat?" He kept laughing and Lois looked at Clark's father, who was also laughing.

"Mrs. Kent is right, you _are_ two peas in a pod." She sighed and grabbed the front of Clark's tee shirt. "Goodbye, Mr. Kent. Come on farm boy, it's time to take me home."

"Yes, ma'am." He sighed as they walked out of the barn.

"See if I ever _kiss _you again." She smiled at him as he walked them to Mr. Kent's truck. "That would teach you."

"It won't happen." He took her hand in his, pulled her next to him and gave her a quick kiss. "Because I know how much you like it when I do."

"You think so."

"I know so." He laughed again as he opened the door of the truck and helped her in.

"I _am_ perfectly capable of getting in by myself." Lois told him.

"I know you are." He squeezed her hand before he let it go and closed her door. He walked around the front of the truck and after he opened his door and sat down, he looked at her. "You're just the first girl I've ever met who doesn't expect it."

oooooo

Twenty minutes later Lois stood on the bottom step of the staircase leading up to her apartment, with her arms around his neck and his arms were around her waist. "Are you coming upstairs?"

"I really should stay down here."

"Maybe." She smiled. "But knowing you as the gentleman that you are, you _should_ feel obligated to walk me to my door."

He smiled back and his face flushed. "Which side of the door are we talking about?"

"Which side of the door would you like?"

"You really have to ask?" He laughed as he took her hands from around his neck.

"Well isn't this cozy." _It would figure. _"My, my Lois. Does Clark know about this?"

__

Where in the hell had Lana Luthor come from?

Clark frowned and Lois wanted to sigh, but decided another tack was needed and she kissed him.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Making a point?"

"Yes." She answered.

"Works for me." He kissed her back before she moved off the bottom step and as he turned around, she stepped in front of him.

Lana looked absolutely floored as she quickly realized that the casually dressed man standing at the bottom of the stairs was the same man she'd known intimately months earlier.

"He knows." Lois told her as Clark's hands came to rest on her shoulders and she smiled because it was such a possessive gesture. It told Lana quite clearly that he was Lois's and she was his.

Her eyes seemed to narrow in anger, but she remained civil. "Goodness Clark, you look so unkempt."

Lois answered with a shake of her head. "He was helping his dad with the chores this morning and I happen to like the way he looks."

"I suppose that means he's taken you up to his hayloft?" Lois thought her comment was much too condescending and didn't appreciate it.

"Not yet." Clark answered from behind her. "But I plan on correcting that as soon as possible."

Lois could feel her face warm, which Lana didn't miss.

"Well before you do that, you _should _confess that you've been cheating on her." She smiled like a Cheshire cat, as though she'd just told Lois something she didn't know. "You _have_ told her we started sleeping together again, haven't you?"

She felt Clark's hands tighten in irritation. "There's nothing to confess to her Lana because she knows that I would never do that to her."

"Are you sure about that? For all _she_ knows, you've been coming into town to see me and keeping it from her."

"She knows a lot more than you think she does." He stated simply. "And she knows how much I love her."

That was something Lana couldn't have expected because she stepped back in surprise.

"And she also knows that I would never betray her."

"But you didn't seem to have that problem with _me_, did you?" She frowned.

Lois heard his quiet sigh and knew he didn't want to be rehashing the issue with her. She wanted to say something to try and help, but knew the best help she could give him would be to stay out of it. So she leaned back against him instead, in support and he gave her a gentle squeeze in appreciation.

"What I have with Lois didn't happen until after I'd ended things with you, because it wouldn't have been fair to her to do otherwise." He told her.

"But what you did was fair to _me_?"

"What _we_ did wasn't right." Lois was proud of how he stood his ground with her. "Your marriage isn't perfect and he doesn't make you happy, but you made the choice to stay with him and our sleeping together didn't help matters."

It was past history and she knew that. But to hear Clark talk so frankly to Lana about such intimacy between them sent Lois' heart down to her toes and she wanted to make a break for the stairs because she really didn't want to be hearing any of this. She didn't, of course, because she wasn't about to abandon him when he really needed her.

She felt him brush a kiss in her hair and she knew he'd sensed her discomfort and wanted to reassure her. "Lois makes me happy, Lana. She makes me happier than I ever thought I could be and I don't feel guilty being with her or worry about getting caught doing something."

"You've got that right." Lois said under her breath.

__

She couldn't help it.

She knew he'd heard her and must have been smiling because Lana's face blanched as though she seemed to finally realize that Clark was truly out of her reach. Her mouth opened and Lois thought she was going to say something, but instead she closed it and set her face with an expression of indifference. She turned on her heel without another word and walked toward the nightclub.

"This isn't over." Lois predicted as she watched Lana walk away. "She's not going to give up that easily."

"She's been bothering you, hasn't she?" He asked quietly as he turned her around and Lois nodded. "Why didn't you tell me about this?"

"Because I can handle her." She put a hand on his cheek. "And because there wasn't anything you could do."

"You still should have told me." He frowned.

"What could you have done, Clark?" She asked as she framed his face with her other hand to get his attention. "You would have been just as worried as you are now and frustrated because you couldn't help me."

"You should have at least told your dad."

"_That_ would have gone over well." Lois frowned back at him. "If I'd told Dad about this, he would have had me escorted to Fort Ryan under military guard."

"Do my parents know?" He folded his arms across his chest and something about his stance made her smile.

"Your mom does."

"Why are you smiling?" He couldn't seem to help but do the same.

"Because you were defending me and us and it was very sweet." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I think _you're_ very sweet."

Clark shook his head. "That's not going to cut it, Lois."

"Then you'd better walk me to the other side of my door, don't you think?" She gave him a quick peck on the mouth and felt the urge to tell him that she loved him but didn't want to do it in light of what just happened.

He found his perfect moment to tell her and she wanted to do the same for him.

They got half way up the stairs; Lois' hand firmly in Clark's before she stopped because she suddenly realized something. "My car."

"Is still at the farm." He looked confused. "But seeing as how you're coming back for dinner, you can drive it home in the morning."

He started up again, pulling her behind. "You don't seriously think I'm staying overnight, do you?"

He kept climbing until they reached the landing and came to a stop in front of her door. "What's the matter Lois? Don't you trust me?" And he laughed as he set her overnight bag down.

"It's not you that I don't trust." She glanced up at him and when she caught his eye, he looked down at the floor and cleared his throat.

__

She'd flustered him.

"I guess having you stay with us isn't really something you can do anymore." He sounded disappointed as she pulled her keys out of her handbag and unlocked the door before he opened it, waiting for her.

She picked up her bag and walked inside, setting it down again. He closed the door behind them and she heard him sigh as she set her handbag and keys down on the side table. "If I do, it could mean putting each other in situations that will only leave us frustrated."

"I just like having you there." He wasn't telling her something that she didn't already know. "My _parents_ like having you there."

Lois put her arms around his waist and tried to catch his eye again. "And _I_ like being there. But after having the chance to be with you, in your bed, I really don't want to sleep in it by myself."

"You could always take the sofa." Clark pulled her close as his cheek found her hair and she smiled. It was that singular gesture, just for her, that she'd missed.

"Your parents would never go for that."

"I know." He sighed again. "It's just as well, though. Because we've already agreed that we're not ready for anything more than what we have. And if you keep staying with us, we _could_ end up doing something we can't undo."

"Don't be so sure about that." She smiled.

"I seem to remember you saying something about me being able to get you into my arms without a lot of effort." He looked at her and tightened his arms around her. "Case in point. So it stands to reason that my bed wouldn't be too much of a challenge."

"Maybe, but _my_ bed on the other hand..." She didn't even think about how it sounded until she said it and didn't know who was more surprised.

Clark swallowed and she wondered if perhaps he was considering it. "Well, your bed _is_ closer than the barn."

"That's true." _Lois Joanne, what _are_ you doing?_

"And when I think about it, it probably _is_ a lot more comfortable than a pile of hay." He seemed to gather a quiet confidence that thrilled her, but at the same time made her nervous. Not because she believed that he would take advantage of her, but that she would take advantage of him.

"Would you believe me if I told you that it was?" Her fingers were itching to get under his tee shirt even though she knew that she should stop what she'd started.

"I believe you, but why don't you show me anyway." When did he become so bold as to challenge _her_; it was supposed to be the other way around. But she knew that it came from the way he felt about her.

"And what if I choose not to?" She really shouldn't have encouraged him, but couldn't seem to help herself when her knees started to shake again as he pressed her against the door.

"Then I'll just have to kiss you instead." And he did. His hands began to caress her and slowly slip down to the spot in her lower back that had her grabbing for his flannel shirt. He let go of her long enough for her to pull it off and drop it to the floor. When she felt his hands around her waist again, they stilled as she heard the hesitance in his voice. "Lois."

"Now I understand why chaperones are necessary." She didn't know whether to laugh or to cry, in frustration as his touch gentled and he began to rub her back.

"Chaperones?"

"Your mother told me when your dad was courting her that they were never allowed to be alone together at any time. They could sit together in the parlor or go for a walk but her father, her grandfather or one of her uncles was always present."

"It's a good thing my dad is such a patient man." And he laughed.

She leaned up to his ear. "But the reward for all of that patience was their wedding night."

"Did you just propose?" He pulled back enough to look into her eyes.

"In your dreams, G-man."

"Oh, I get a _lot _more than a proposal in my dreams, Lois." Clark smiled at her and as he leaned in to kiss her, Lois felt as much as heard the knock on her front door.

"That must be our chaperone now." She kissed his cheek.

"And just in time too." He said as he let her go with a light kiss. He picked up his shirt, shrugged into it and walked to the sofa.

Lois opened the door and saw her father standing there. His cap was tucked under one arm, while he was reaching up with the other to knock again.

"Hi, Dad. What's the occasion?" She reached out and hugged him. "Come in."

"Does there have to be an occasion?" He hugged her back and let her go before he stopped in the doorway when he saw Clark. "I'm interrupting."

"You're not interrupting anything." Lois willed herself not to blush as she grabbed his arm, pulled him inside and closed the door behind him. _It was all Clark's fault anyway. _"I was just about to make us some lunch and you're welcome to join us."

"Please, sir. We don't mind." Clark stepped forward with his hand extended. "It's nice to see you again General Lane."

"It's nice to see you home Kent." They shook hands. "And it's nice to see that smile on my daughter's face."

"Dad." Lois admonished him as the General put an arm around her shoulders.

"The boy needs to know these things, Lo. Now what's for lunch?" He asked as he let her go to hang his cap on a peg by the door and walk into the room.

Lois glanced at Clark and he shrugged slightly.

"We were just deciding that when you knocked." She decided and he smiled at her because she'd just fibbed to her father. But better that then him knowing what they'd been doing.

"Really." He deadpanned. "I would have thought you two would be making up for lost time, not thinking about food."

Clark turned abruptly and started to cough. _Like father, like son._

"Dad." Lois felt her face warm and she shook her head.

"Honestly. As much as you've missed that boy and all you were thinking about was lunch?" He sighed. "You disappoint me."

Clark kept coughing and Lois was staring daggers at him. _You'll get yours, buster._

"Maybe you should get a glass of water, son. It might help that cough."

"Yes, sir." Clark choked out and headed to the bathroom. Once the door was closed however, his coughing sounded suspiciously like laughing. _Big help _he _was._

Her father surprised her when he suddenly pulled her into a hug. "He _is_ a keeper."

"Yes he is." She smiled and then kissed his cheek. And then it dawned on her; when was the last time she'd kissed him on the cheek? "And now he's home, thanks to you."

"I had a lot of help." He told her gruffly as he seemed to realize the same thing before he stepped away and glanced toward the bathroom. "Does he know about any of that?"

Lois shook her head. "I haven't told him anything yet. Frankly, it was the _last_ thing I was thinking about."

"The first being?" He raised an eyebrow at her and smiled a knowing smile.

"Dad."

"You're honestly going to tell me that you haven't thought about it?" He challenged her. "It's never crossed your mind."

She felt her cheeks heat as she remembered the previous evening.

"I thought so." He chuckled. "You're going to have beautiful children when the time comes."

__

Was he was deliberately trying to embarrass her?

"Dad!"

He pulled her back into his arms and laughed softly. "I'm just happy for you, Lo. I've worried for a long time that you wouldn't find what your sister has and you finally did."

"You never said anything." His confession touched her.

"Because you've always been so damn independent and you've always seemed to feel the need to prove that to me." He stepped back to take a hold of her arms and glanced toward the bathroom again. "I never wanted you to feel that you couldn't depend on someone else."

"I don't want to be taken care of." She frowned reflexively.

"That's not what I meant, and you damn well know that." He frowned back at her and sighed. "What I should have said was that I didn't want you to feel that you couldn't share your life with someone and _not_ be independent. It seems to me that's one of the things he loves most about you."

__

How could he know that?

"It's written all over his face _and_ yours." He answered her unasked question and Lois turned for the kitchen. "You haven't told him how you feel about him yet, have you?"

"How do you do that?" She turned back around and felt tears prick her eyes.

"Because I've been where you are and I remember." He said simply.

The door to the bathroom opened slowly and Lois frowned at Clark as he walked back into room and he gave her a sheepish grin before he shrugged.

"Not that I don't think you can't whip up a first class meal, but why don't you let me treat you and young Kent here to lunch, or brunch if it's not too late." Lois' father requested.

"General Lane, you don't need to do that." Clark shook his head.

"Nonsense. It would be my pleasure." He walked to the door and retrieved his cap then opened it, waiting for Clark and Lois to walk out ahead of him. She picked up the keys from the side table before she closed and locked the door behind them. She slipped them into her pocket and as the General started down the stairs, Clark took her hand before they followed.

It still surprised her how things had developed so quickly between them, but even as fast as things had happened it still felt right.

What made her uneasy, though was the specter of Lana Luthor; and that specter was standing in the doorway of the club as Clark, Lois and her father reached the bottom of the stairs. She felt his hand tighten around hers protectively as they headed for the main door and stepped outside. Lois made sure that it was secure as he took the lead and walked them toward O'Brien's Diner.

"Keep your eye on that one, Lo." Her father finally said. "'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned'".

"Nothing will happen to her General, I'll make sure of it." Clark promised and the look he gave her was serious and she knew he meant it.

"I know you will son, and that's why I trust you." He answered as they continued down the street in silence.

__

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned".

The words echoed in her ears and it only reinforced the feeling that Lana wasn't finished with them.

Not by a long shot.


	34. Future Possibility

"So with two whole weeks of leave ahead of you, what are your plans?" Lois asked him as they sat together on the porch swing.

Hadn't she told him once that she'd read his articles in the _Daily Planet _because it was boring watching the grass grow? Who knew that they would be sitting together as they held hands like a married couple and of all things, watch the sun as it finished setting.

_Married couple?_ Where in the hell had _that_ come from?

"You mean other than spending all my time with you?" He grinned at her.

"You're dad's not going to let you help him again, is he?" She laughed.

"I haven't given up trying." He told her. "What I have a hard time trying to explain to him is that helping him helps me relax."

"You can't be serious." Lois didn't believe him either.

"I _am_ serious. With all the traveling that I have to do sometimes, it's nice to be able to work out some of the tension." He shrugged.

"Well why didn't you say something, _I_ can help you with that." And she moved to stand up, but he stopped her.

"What are you doing?"

"Dad says my fingers work like magic."

"So you showed me after you got me to do the milking for you." He held on to her hand. "I'll keep it in mind if Dad let's me do something around here."

"Which you _do_ realize will be never." She laughed again and he silenced her with a kiss. When he leaned away, it was his turn to smile at the look of surprise on her face.

"That's a very effective way of getting you to stop talking." Clark said to her. "I'll have to remember that."

"You call that a kiss?" She quirked an eyebrow at him. "You've been gone for too long."

"Then I think you should show me what a good kiss is." He told her.

"Well, it all has to do with setup and presentation." She remarked as she let go of his hand long enough to get up and settle herself in his lap.

"Lois, you're a little old for me to bounce on my knee." He looked at her seriously as he started to bounce his leg.

"Don't be juvenile." She scolded as her face flushed and she put her arms around his neck. "Because using that logic, I'm too old to be _sitting _on your knee."

"Don't even think about moving." His arms snaked around her waist and held her firm. "I like this."

"You like it because you have me within arms reach."

"Which is a lot more than I had two days ago." He grinned again. "So now you've shown me the setup, how about your presentation?"

Her look of amusement turned serious and Clark couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking until she framed his face with her hands. "I really missed you." Her voice was low as she leaned in and pressed her lips softly to his. He responded without thinking and tightened his hold on her when she gently shook her head.

"You're not letting me show you my presentation." She whispered and then kissed him again.

She kept the contact light and it frustrated him because he wanted so much to be able to kiss her back, and as he thought about doing just that her hands dropped to his shoulders. Her lips then left his to brush across his cheek and he felt the friction of her softness against the late afternoon stubble. The sensation of it made his face warm and he smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" Her voice was low as she moved to the spot just under his ear that she knew was particularly sensitive and his breath caught in his throat.

"Because I'm happy, that's why." Clark knew that he needed to distract her because if he didn't, he'd be in danger of embarrassing himself with wanting her so much.

She stilled for a moment before she sat up and her face was rosy. "So am I, because I like having you home."

"And I like _being_ home, especially after last night." He said quietly as he leaned in toward her. "I liked your presentation, but I really want to kiss you."

"Then you need to stop talking." She smiled.

As he leaned in, Clark heard the screen door open before he heard it close again. "I can't leave you two kids alone anywhere." He heard his father chuckle from the front hall.

"We're just making up for lost time, Dad." He smiled at Lois' flushed face as she scrambled off his lap and sat down next to him on the swing.

The door was opened again, cautiously and Clark's father was trying to smother a grin as he stepped out onto the porch. "I thought you were going to walk Lois to her car."

"I was, but then the sun was setting and it's the first one I've seen since I got home last night. And I talked her into sitting with me and enjoying it."

"And a sunset was all that you had in mind?" He smiled.

"For starters." Clark grinned at her.

"Well before it gets too much darker, why don't you let her get home." Dad suggested. "And then come inside, I have something I'd like to talk to you about."

"Sure Dad." He was curious about what his father had to tell him as he turned around and walked back into the house. After the screen door closed, Clark stood up and held his hand out to Lois before he smiled. "Are you sure you don't want to stay? I don't mind sleeping on the sofa."

"You just got home and you should sleep in your own bed." She shook her head as they stepped off the porch and walked toward her car. "And I already told you that I don't want to sleep in it by myself anymore."

"You could always marry me and then you wouldn't have to." He teased and she pulled on his hand to stop him.

"Did you just propose?" Her eyebrows were up and there was a look of surprise on her face.

__

It was deja vu all over again.

"Honey, if I were proposing you wouldn't have to ask because you wouldn't have any doubt." He smiled and was completely unprepared for the feel of Lois' body suddenly pressed against his as she kissed him.

He didn't have the opportunity to kiss her back before she put her arms around him and laughed softly.

"Not that I didn't enjoy that, but what did I do to deserve it?"

"You called me 'Honey', again." And then she sighed as he put his arms around her. "I thought I'd dreamed that."

"What do I get if I call you 'Darling'?" He brushed her ear with his lips and felt her shiver. She'd never done that before and he couldn't help but wonder what his close proximity was really doing to her.

"You get to finish walking me to my car." She mirrored his action and the urge to take her back into the privacy of the barn so he could show her what her proximity was doing to _him_ was nearly irresistible.

Instead, he pulled her closer for no other reason at that moment than to hold her. Three and a half months had been too long to be away from her and having had the chance to hold her in his arms, in his bed gave him a glimpse of what his future could be.

And it was a future wide open with possibilities.

"Not just yet." He said quietly as his hands slipped to the low of her back and she leaned into him.

"Clark?" The breathlessness in her voice as she said his name tipped the scales and without allowing himself think about it, he eased her arms from around his neck. "I really need to go home."

"Not yet, please." He requested as he took her hand and laced his fingers through hers, something he'd never done before and she smiled because she knew it too.

"Necking in the barn twice in one day, how does a girl get so lucky?"

"Simple. She knows a fellow whose parents have a farm." He answered as he gently tugged her behind him. He walked her into the barn and steered her to the spot just inside where he'd kissed her that morning. Maybe it was because of what happened with Lana earlier that Clark didn't want Lois to have any doubts about his feelings for her.

Lana was firmly in his past and it was where he wanted her to stay. And for the moment, he wanted Lois to stay where _she_ was.

"What are you thinking?" Lois' soft voice broke into his thoughts as she ran a light hand through his hair.

"I'm thinking about how happy you make me." He told her as he put his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "I'm thinking about how happy I am to be home, to see you and my parents again and that I'll never have to be that far away from you again for so long. That's what I'm thinking."

"And you brought me in here to tell me that? You could have just said that while we were standing by my car." She laughed as her hand dropped out of his hair to join the other around his neck. "I thought you were going to do something else."

"Like what?" He raised his eyebrows as though to wonder what she was saying.

"Oh, I don't know." Lois shrugged her shoulders. "But I'm sure you could think of something."

Clark couldn't stop the smile he felt coming. "I'm thinking of _some_thing, all right."

"Then it's a good thing I'm going home." She quipped.

"Uh-huh." He nodded his head in earnest agreement, all the while pulling her closer.

"But I can't do that until you let me go." She brushed her lips against his and he sighed. Their wordplay was taking on a tone that he hadn't been prepared for, but still intrigued him. It intrigued him because he knew that neither would let things go too far; but after the previous night, how far _was_ that?

"What if I don't want to?" He asked as he reached up to brush her hair away from her face and then rubbed the soft strands between his fingers, loving the feel of it as he pressed her body against the wall with his.

It was then Clark knew how far she was willing to go when she spelled it out in no uncertain terms when she put her hands on his chest. "Our first time is _not_ going to be in a barn."

"Is that an invitation?" _God, she was beautiful._

"If it were, you wouldn't have to ask." She echoed his earlier words about a proposal. "Because you wouldn't have any doubt."

"So I guess kissing you now would be a bad idea." He frowned with a frustration of his own making.

He could see how much she wanted it and wasn't surprised when she nodded her head. "It would be a _very_ bad idea."

"When I brought you in here, _that _wasn't what I had in mind." Clark was serious.

"I know that and it's why I can't stay here anymore." Lois was just as serious. "We've been tempting fate since you got home and if we keep doing that we really _are_ going to do something we aren't ready for."

"This isn't about sex." He wanted her to understand and flushed at her startled look to his blunt statement. They'd never talked so openly about anything intimate with each other, but he felt that it was past time they addressed it. "It would be about my wanting to show you how much I love you."

"I know." Lois glanced away from him and swallowed nervously. It seemed to Clark that she wanted to say something, but maybe didn't know how. And then he felt his heart flutter with anticipation, could it be?

__

Could he be that lucky?

"I have to go." She finally said and pushed him away just far enough to pull herself out of his arms and walk out of the barn.

He followed behind, not trying to stop her as she got to her car, because he knew it was for the best and he kept his distance. "Be careful driving back to town."

"I will." She promised as she opened the door and got in. "Be careful walking back to the house, it's dark out here."

He nodded and reached for her hand after she closed it. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." She slipped it out of his grasp before she looked up at him. "I'm not mad at you, if that's what you're worried about. It's just that I'm still trying to get used to the idea that you're home, for good."

"All that means is that we'll have the time to spend getting to know each other better." He shrugged.

"And it'll give you more opportunities to get me in the barn." She sighed and Clark thought he understood what was bothering her.

__

Nice going Romeo.

"Not if you don't want me to." He shook his head. "I'm not trying to make things difficult for you; I've just missed you so much."

"I've missed you too and you know that. But things are different since you came home last night because our feelings have changed."

Our feelings?

"Clark?" He heard his father call him from the porch. "Come on in now son and let Lois go home."

She reached out and grabbed his hand. "Everything is all right, really. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

"Your mother insists that she's going to make me as good a cook as she is." And she laughed. "As if _that_ will ever happen."

"Don't underestimate my mother, Lois." He took a deep breath of relief and smiled. "If she says that you'll learn to cook as well as she does, you will."

"We'll see about that." She replied before he heard the engine turn over and she put the car in gear.

"Call me when you get back to the _Falcon_." He requested.

"Yes Dad." Lois laughed as she gave him a small wave and he stepped away from the car as she drove away. He watched as the taillights blinked on as she stopped at the end of the lane and then turned onto the main road.

"She's only going back to Smallville, son." Clark heard his father laugh softly as he turned and walked toward the porch.

"I never thought it would be harder to be home than in Washington." He admitted as Dad opened the screen door and waited for him to walk into the house. "I'm closer to her than I've been in three and a half months and I didn't think it would be possible to miss her even more."

"Clark when you're in love, the woman you love is always too far away if you can't see her." He smiled.

"But." How could his father know about that? He hadn't told his parents anything yet.

"You've got that look." Dad laughed in answer. "It's the look every man gets when he knows he's found the right woman. Have you told her?"

Clark felt his face burn with the memory of how he _did_ tell her and he nodded.

"Does she love _you_?"

"I think so." He replied and his father looked a little surprised. "She told me that she's never felt for anyone else what she feels for me. And she told me that if she tells me that she loves me, she doesn't want there to be any doubts when she does."

"She's a smart girl." Dad nodded approvingly. "Love isn't something to be taken lightly."

"I don't."

"I know that, and that's why there's something I want to give to you." He put a hand on Clark's shoulder. "Your grandmother wanted you to have it, but she made me promise that I wouldn't give it to you until I thought the time was right."

"And you think now is the right time?" His investigative curiosity was getting the better of him.

"I'm giving it to you because I think you already know the answer."

It wasn't like his father to be so cryptic. Jonathan Kent had always been a man who was straightforward and didn't waste words. And the truth was, his words didn't make sense.

"Come into the parlor and have a seat." He asked as Clark followed him and sat down on the sofa. His father stood in front of the unlit fireplace and reached into his jacket pocket. And when he withdrew his hand, he was holding a ring box.

"Dad?" He felt his heart pick up a quicker pace because he thought he knew what it might be.

"This is what your grandmother wanted you to have." Dad explained as he approached and held out the ring box, which Clark took. "Open it."

He looked at his father again before he slowly opened the lid and inside, couched in velvet, was his grandmother's engagement ring. It was a simple ring of white gold filigree, with one small diamond in the center and two smaller diamonds on either side.

Clark remembered how much she cherished the ring and that she never took it off.

"She wanted you to give it to the one woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. And she left your mother and I with the responsibility of knowing when that would be." He elaborated. "Now until you met Lois, it never occurred to either one of us to mention it. And it wasn't until we helped you surprise her with your telephone call a month ago that we knew it was time to consider it.

"Then seeing the two of you together today was all I needed to know that it's just a matter of time before you propose."

His father smiled when Clark opened his mouth to object. "On Christmas Eve, you told your mother that you were having a hard time seeing the rest of your life without Lois in it. But after being gone for the last few months, I'd say that now you find it impossible."

"Dad."

"If what I'm saying isn't true, then tell me why you tried to talk Lois into staying overnight." He asked. "Tell me why she wasn't more than ten feet away from you for a good part of the day and why you continued to reach for her hand. It was as though you were trying to reassure yourself that she wasn't a dream that you'd wake up from."

That's because he _was _trying to reassure himself.

"I dreamed about her nearly every night that I was gone." Clark explained to him as he looked at the ring and considered the idea. "And she was always just out of my reach."

"That would explain it." He nodded. "Now unless I've misread what's happened between you and Lois, I'll take my mother's ring back and wait for you to find the right girl. But if I haven't, put it in a safe place until you're ready to offer it to her."

"Do you think she would accept it?" Clark wondered as he looked at the ring again.

"Lois is the only one who knows for certain, all I can do is speculate."

"I know."

"She'll tell you how she feels when she's ready, even if she already knows it in her heart." Dad put a hand on his shoulder. "It took your mother some time to tell me how _she_ felt, even though I already knew. Just give her time."

Clark stood up and closed the lid. "I've never felt this way about a woman before."

"I know you haven't."

"Marriage is something I thought would be a long way off." He added. "It never occurred to me that it would suddenly be staring me in the face."

"Meeting the right woman tends to do that." His father smiled at him.

"I've never known anyone quite like her." Clark smiled back.

"And she's probably never known anyone quite like you either." He commented before he turned around and moved the fire screen. "I think I'll get a fire started. We won't have many more evenings like this where I can."

With their conversation effectively ended, Clark walked out of the parlor and went upstairs. When he reached his bedroom, he opened the door and there was the lingering scent of lilacs as he walked in. He stopped at his dresser and opened the top drawer to tuck the ring away and as he closed it, saw the picture of he and Lois from that night at the _Regent_.

It was a night that changed his life because it presented to him the possibility of what could be.

And who that possibility could be with.

__

Lois.


	35. Back to Work

It had been the nicest two weeks that she could ever remember.

For the duration of Clark's leave, Lois was out at the farm every day continuing to learn the finer points of preparing and cooking a meal from Mrs. Kent. And in spite of his jokes to the contrary, Clark never failed to compliment her when she'd made something he particularly enjoyed.

And during that time, she began to make a mental list of what he liked more and what he liked less. She began to really take notice what his drink of choice was with meals and what he preferred for dessert, milk and his mother's peach cobbler.

Lois hadn't tried to tackle the cobbler yet because Mrs. Kent was still trying to help her make apple turnovers. Dad had found her mother's recipe, written in her own hand and given it to her. She was determined to make them the same way her mother had, but the only one who could tell her if she got it right would be the General.

For the two weeks she'd been at the farm, and never overnight, she spent most of her time with Clark. They walked the length and breadth of his parent's property, talking and getting to know each other better.

As they strolled together hand in hand, he went into more detail about his job as an agent and talked about some of the situations he'd found himself in. She got the feeling that he was glossing over some of his more harrowing experiences, but that was fine by her. He was good at what he did and she knew he did his best to stay safe, but didn't want to know any more than he was willing to tell her because she worried about him enough as it was.

He also told her how it was growing up on a farm and how he sometimes wished that his parents had been able to have more children. As much as he loved them, he'd often wondered what it would have been like to have a brother or a sister to grow up with.

Lois joked that having a sister wasn't all it was cracked up to be, but admitted that it had been nice to have Lucy around.

She told him what it was like to grow up moving from base to base as her father's responsibilities increased with his rise in rank, which necessitated his more frequent transfers. A family of tumbleweeds is what he once called them and Lois couldn't say that she disagreed with his assessment.

Tumbleweeds though they were, the General did his best to make every house they lived in a home. But with his numerous absences and especially as Lois got older, it increasingly fell to _her_ to make it as much a home for Lucy as shecould.

And she resented it.

She wasn't Lucy's mother and didn't like being saddled with the responsibility. So when she turned eighteen, that was her ticket out and she left the safety and security of being a military dependent to strike out on her own.

It had taken a long time before she and her father stopped being angry with each other enough to start talking, his transfer to Fort Ryan facilitated that, and they slowly began to mend their fences.

She hadn't told Clark any of that before, preferring that he think the relationship with her father had always been a good one. She was proud of what they had now, because they'd both worked at it and grown closer as a result.

And it was one of the reasons why she wanted to master her mother's apple turnovers.

The Kent's had invited the General for dinner the night before Clark was due to leave for Kansas City and it had been Lois' plan to spring them on him. But as was becoming a familiar refrain, her father had to cancel his dinner plans; he was being sent back to Fort Harrison with another of his battalions for more mountain training. When he would return, _he_ wasn't even sure.

It frustrated her, not because of the cancelled dinner plans, because she wanted to talk to her father about Clark and how she'd missed her chance the second time he'd taken her into the barn.

He'd left the door wide open for her to tell him how she felt about him; how many she really loved him.

But with the circumstances of that afternoon, that being, his body so close to hers, she couldn't think clearly enough get the words to come out. Part of it was that if she had, his happiness at her declaration might have overridden their common sense and they would have ended up doing the very thing she'd already told him she didn't want to do in the barn.

And it wasn't _his_ romantic advances that concerned her.

It felt odd that she would worry about such things, because it had never been an issue before. Lois had always been selective in the men that she chose to socialize with because of her job. Too often they thought that because she worked in a nightclub that her favors were there for the taking, in that they thought she was easy.

But just because she was selective, it didn't mean that she hadn't had any intimate relationships. The fact was, there _had_ only been two and those paled in comparison to the intimacy she felt with Clark even though nothing had happened between them yet. It made her regretful that she hadn't waited for him, but knew the thought was foolish. If the situation with Lex and the Senator hadn't presented itself, they never would have met because there wouldn't have been any reason for him to come out from Washington.

'Everything happens for a reason', she remembered her mother telling her. Lois was too young to understand why her mother was slipping away from her and Lucy and the General, so that was how she tried to explain it to her six year old daughter.

It was something Lois had never forgotten because it definitely applied to her and to Clark. They were two very different people who had led very different lives and if it weren't because of his job, she would have had a difficult time seeing him spending his time in a nightclub, as he wasn't that kind of a man.

He was still a farm boy at heart and he wasn't the only one who was in love.

"I thought I'd find you out here." Lois looked up toward the front door and saw Mr. Kent standing there; she hadn't heard the screen door open. "That swing has become your favorite spot in the house."

"That's because I can see so much from here and it helps me think." She answered.

"You looked like you were thinking about something pretty serious." He replied. "Is it something I can help you with?"

Her cheeks warmed as she shrugged self-consciously. "No offense Mr. Kent, but I don't know that you're the one to talk to about this."

He grinned at her. "This is something you'd rather talk about with Martha."

"I don't think she's the one to talk to either." She shook her head.

Mr. Kent looked confused. "Can you give me a _little _more information?"

"You're Clark's parents." She said in a matter of fact way. "And it's not fair to talk to you about something when I should be talking to _him_."

"And why can't you talk to him?" His boots thumped across the porch as he walked to the swing and sat down on the opposite side. "Is it something that you don't _want_ him to know?"

Lois shook her head again. "It's something he needs to know and something I want to tell him, I just don't know how."

He smiled again and nodded. _He knew. _"Lois, those sorts of things seem to find their own time and what you need to do is not worry. Whatever it is that you want to tell him will be there when you're ready."

"You sound so sure about it." She frowned.

"I know how much you care for my son and how much he cares for you. I know how much this situation surprised the both of you and I'm very proud of how you're handling it."

She couldn't help but smile. "I don't think avoiding him has been the best way to handle it."

"You've hardly been avoiding him, Lois." He corrected her. "Any more than he's been avoiding you, you're just using your common sense and keeping yourselves out of awkward situations."

"Like the barn." She laughed softly.

He agreed with an amused nod. "Like the barn."

"Is he almost packed?" Lois asked.

"Just about." He told her. "He's been dragging his feet because he doesn't want to leave again."

"I know, but at least he won't be so far away this time." She looked at him. "It was nice of Mr. Kelly to let Clark split his time between Smallville and Kansas City."

"My son can be stubborn when he really wants something, and it took some doing to get the field director to agree to it." Mr. Kent laughed. "But in the end, he felt that as long as Clark was at the field office to attend briefings and file his paperwork, he could just as easily get his assignments by telephone or the telegraph office."

"I don't know why he did that."

"Don't you?" He seemed truly puzzled. "You really don't know why he would talk the field director into it?"

The blue eyes that were so much like Clark's gazed at her steadily as though to impart the actions of his only child. Lois' pulse began to race as it dawned on her what his father was trying to tell her.

"Me?" It came out as a whisper.

"As much as I'd like to think that he would do it for his mother and me, and I'm sure that we were part of it, I believe he did it mostly for you." He revealed. "The idea of being so close to home and not being able to see you and us on a regular basis was something he couldn't accept. And he didn't."

"Can he really do that?"

"Men do things they wouldn't ordinarily do when they're in love." He chuckled as he stood. "So why don't you go light a fire under him and get him to finish packing? He said he wanted to get to Kansas City before dark and at the rate he's going, he's not going to make it."

"He's such a baby." Lois sighed as she got up from the swing. "It's not like he has to go back to Washington."

"That's what we've been trying to tell him, but at this point I think you're the only one he'll listen to." Mr. Kent smiled at her.

"Oh he'll listen all right." She looked at him.

As she walked to the screen door and opened it, she heard his soft laugh. "I have no doubt."

When Lois got upstairs, she walked down the hall toward Clark's room, wondering exactly how she could coax him into finishing his packing. She knew he wasn't looking forward to leaving, but couldn't quite understand why.

He'd gotten Mr. Kelly to agree to a pretty nice deal. Clark would be in Kansas City for four days and in Smallville for three. And while it wasn't perfect, at least it was better than being separated by hundreds of miles and not seeing each other at all.

When she got to his room, she knocked softly on the partially opened door and walked in. His suitcase was still open on the bed and he was standing by the window. "Your dad sent me up here to help you finish packing." She said quietly, so she wouldn't startle him.

"I'm just about finished." He told her.

Lois couldn't help but feel for him, he'd just gotten home and now he had to leave again. But the situation was so much different than it had been before. "Clark, you're only going to Kansas City. It's not like you're shipping out and going overseas."

"I know."

"Then let's get moving." She put her hands on her hips. "You wanted to get there before dark and as slow as you're going, you're not going to make it."

He turned to face her and she couldn't help but sigh because not only was he not packed, he hadn't finished getting dressed either. He'd at least managed to get his dress shirt buttoned and tucked in, but didn't have a tie.

He was just being stubborn about the whole thing but she didn't have the heart to tell him that and instead walked to his closet. She fingered his ties on the tie rack, trying to decide on one that would go best with his suit.

"Whichever one you pick will be fine; just don't make it too loud." Clark's voice was close to her ear and she jumped because she hadn't heard him approach. "Sorry."

Lois smiled, even though she knew she shouldn't, as she found one that she thought would be perfect. "You don't _own_ any loud ties. Some of them might be a little noisy, but they're certainly not loud."

"I'll have to work on that then, won't I?" She felt his arms around her as he pulled her back against him. "I like this."

"What? Having someone pick out your clothes like you were a five-year-old?" She leaned back in his arms as he slipped the tie she'd picked out off of the rack.

"No. Having someone pick out my clothes, like a wife. That's what _I_ like."

The smile grew and slowly spread across her face and Lois couldn't help but be glad that he couldn't see it because it certainly wouldn't have helped the situation. "Well you got the husband part down right, seeing as how you were banished to the sofa."

"And you certainly got the wife part down right, seeing as how you managed to kick me out of my bed for almost a month." He was enjoying their banter, she could tell.

"What kind of wife would kick her handsome husband out of their bed?" Lois mused quietly in the circle of his arms, knowing without a doubt that if Clark were her husband, it would never happen.

"And what kind of husband would _let_ his incredibly beautiful wife kick him out of their bed." He wondered out loud as he tried to draw her closer to him. "You wouldn't do that to your husband, would you Lois?"

"I would if he refused to get dressed and finish packing." She couldn't help but laugh because he seemed more determined then ever to keep stalling. "So how about a little less courting and a little more dressing."

"Is that what you think I'm doing?" He asked softly as his cheek came to rest against her hair; a feel that she had come to love and her knees started to shake.

"I _know_ that's what you're doing."

_The fiend__. _

His arms tightened around her just a little more. "Well if that's true, what are you going do about it?"

Lois leaned her head back against his shoulder and sighed. "I think I'll let you."

"Son, times a wasting!" She heard Mr. Kent call from downstairs, rescuing her from doing something that would have slowed Clark's progress even more. "It's time to get on the road now."

"I'm getting it from all sides." He sighed dramatically but Lois knew without a doubt that there was a smile on his face.

"It serves you right because you distracted me." She pulled herself gently out of his arms and when she turned around he looked a sight happier than he had when she walked in. "Which was your intention."

"It was." He nodded. "And it worked like a charm."

"That's what _you_ think." Lois laughed as Clark put the tie around his neck. She stepped in close and grasped his shirt collar and buttoned it before she took the ends of the tie in her hands.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Since _I_ picked out your tie, which is perfect for you by the way, it should be up to me to tie it." Which she proceeded to do as she tried to ignore the feel of his hands that had come to rest on her waist. When she finished, she slipped the knot into place and patted it as she stepped out of his light hold. "Now stop dawdling Agent Kent, and finish packing."

"Is that an order?" He smiled at her as she backed up toward the door.

"Yes." She smiled back before she turned and walked out of the room, his gentle laugh following her back down the stairs. Clark's parents were in the parlor when she walked in and his mother looked at her expectantly.

"Jonathan said he sent you up there to light a fire under him. Did it work?"

"It worked, Mom." Lois turned to see Clark walking down the stairs, his suitcase in hand. "I'm ready to go."

"I had a feeling sending Lois up there would do the trick." She heard Mr. Kent comment from behind her. "And I was right."

"Thanks Dad." He said as he set his suitcase down next to the staircase and walked into the parlor. "Ever since yesterday, this was feeling too much like it did when I had to go back to Washington. But it's _not_ the same because I'll be home on Thursday night." And he laughed. "I couldn't have said that in January."

"You certainly couldn't have." His father agreed. "Just call us when you get to Kansas City so we know that you got there all right."

"I will." He promised. "I just want you to know that it's really been nice being home and I'm glad that Mr. Kelly agreed to this. He could have just as easily told me that my transfer to the field office meant just that, but because we're so close it tipped things in my favor."

"And don't think that we aren't happy about that." Mrs. Kent told him. "But it's time to go now. So get your suitcase and get moving."

"Yes, ma'am." Clark managed to keep a straight face as he turned for the hallway and picked up his suitcase and headed for the door.

"We'll say goodbye here and let Lois walk you out to your car." Mr. Kent put his hand out and they shook. "It's been nice having you home too son."

"I'll call you Wednesday evening and let you know when to expect me."

"Drive carefully." Clark's mother advised. "People are starting to come home from their Sunday drives."

"I'll be careful, Mom. Don't worry." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'll see you in a few days."

Lois walked out of the parlor, toward the screen door and waited for him to follow. When she saw him approach, she opened the screen door and held it until he caught it with his free hand and she stepped out onto the porch.

She heard it close behind her and when she felt Clark take her hand, they stepped off the porch and walked to his car. "You know you can stay here while I'm gone."

Lois shook her head. "We've already had this discussion."

"I know and I do understand." He nodded as he let go of her hand so he could open the back door and slip his suitcase onto the back seat. "I just thought I'd put it out there."

"Just put that car on the road and drive safe." She smiled as he closed the door. "This is so different from the last time you left."

"It's better because I get to come home in a few days." He smiled in return. "It feels nice to be able to say that."

"It's feels nice to hear it." Lois agreed as she followed Clark to the driver's side door.

"I'm sorry your dad couldn't make it for dinner last night. I know how much you were looking forward to it." He took her hand and squeezed it.

"I'm used to it." She shrugged. "It's all a part of being in the service."

"But that doesn't mean that he wasn't looking forward to it too." He reasoned.

"I know he was." She nodded. "And that's why it was so disappointing."

"Well until he gets the order to ship out, we've got time." And he glanced at his watch. "But unfortunately I don't; so I've got to go."

"Get going then." Lois urged before she gave him a quick kiss. "Thursday will be here before you know it."

He kissed her back before he opened the door and got in. "I'm already counting the days."

"Same here." She closed his door and he put the key in the ignition. The engine turned over and before he put the car in gear promised to call her when he got to Kansas City. She waved as he started up the drive and watched as he reached the end, turned on to the main road and was gone.

She walked back to the house and his parents were standing on the porch. "I must say, that was a much easier goodbye this time." Mr. Kent commented.

"It sure was." Lois agreed.

"You're welcome to stay for coffee and dessert if you like." Clark's mother offered.

"Thanks just the same, Mrs. Kent." She declined. "But I've been spending so much of my time here for the last two weeks that I really should go home."

"You know you're always welcome."

"I know."

"You're practically family." She added.

__

Was she?

"Do you have your keys?" Mr. Kent asked and Lois checked her pants pocket. _Check._

"Call us when you get home then." Mrs. Kent requested. "I like to know that all my chicks are home in their nests."

Lois smiled at her. "I will."

"Drive safe now." Mr. Kent added as he followed Clark's mother into the house.

After they went inside she stood and looked at the farm house that had become so much of a home to her and couldn't help but envy Clark the stability of growing up in one place.

She'd had an adventurous childhood, seeing places that most kids never would have dreamed of. But she had to admit that she would have traded it in a heartbeat if she knew that there could have been one place that she could have always called home.

But since her heart had already found a home, even if he didn't know it yet, there might yet be one special place for her.

Only time would tell.


	36. Lieutenant Queen Says Goodbye

"_Please_ explain to me what the difference is between a pinch and a dash." Lois asked herself as she read the recipe again. She ran the back of her hand across her forehead in frustration and sighed when she realized that she'd just dusted herself with flour.

"Come on Lois." Clark's amused voice teased from the other side of the newspaper as he sat at the kitchen table behind her, being of absolutely no help. "Even _I_ know the difference."

"Then what is it?"

"If I tell you that, then you'll never learn." He laughed and Lois really wanted to smack him; he'd been in rare form since he'd rolled in from Kansas City the afternoon before. Clark had been coming home for nearly a month and for the first time, she wished he hadn't.

"You aren't helping, so why don't you beat it." She sighed again and called for his mother. "Mrs. Kent!"

"Clark, why don't you go outside and chop some firewood for your dad." Lois heard her walk in from the parlor. "We used so much this past winter and I know that he doesn't want to get caught shorthanded come October."

"Mom, that's five months away; I think we have time." He answered.

"Clark." Her voice was firm.

"Yes, ma'am." Lois heard the sound of the newspaper being folded and a chair being pushed back as Clark got up from the table. She heard the sound of his boots as he walked out of the kitchen and through the parlor, toward the front door.

Mrs. Kent walked to the counter and came to a stop next to Lois. "Honey, it's as simple as it sounds. Watch." And she proceeded to show Lois exactly what it was as she grasped some salt between her thumb and forefinger. "That's a pinch. It's meant to enhance the flavor, not change it."

"So what is a dash, then?" She asked, but Mrs. Kent never got the chance to answer when there was a knock at the front door. And to Lois' surprise, after she heard the door opened, was that the voice coming from the front porch sounded like Lieutenant Oliver Queen.

"General Lane asked me to contact her but she doesn't appear to be at home." She heard.

"That's because she's _here_." Lois knew that tone and she smiled at Clark's mother. Mrs. Kent smiled back before she picked up a dishtowel to wipe the flour off of her forehead.

"You'd better go rescue him."

"Clark or Lieutenant Queen?" She asked.

"I think you know, so go." Mrs. Kent added as she undid Lois' apron and whisked it off as she nudged her toward the parlor. "It never hurts to make a good impression."

Lois walked out of the kitchen, toward the front door and the lieutenant had his cap tucked under his arm, looking really amused. Clark on the other hand, did not. "Lieutenant?"

"I thought we'd gotten past the formalities." He smiled at her. "It's Oliver, please. Would it be all right if I come in?"

Clark blocked the door and wouldn't budge until Lois gave him a push and glared at him before she smiled at the young officer. "Of course it would, please come in."

"Thank you." He walked into the house and she showed him into the parlor. "This is a nice place you have here Agent Kent. The general has mentioned how he always feels at home."

"That's because it _is_ a home." In the months she'd known him, Lois had never known Clark to be deliberately rude and frowned at him in embarrassment as he stood just inside the parlor with his arms folded across his chest.

"And it seems as though Lois is doing a better job of welcoming you than my son." Mrs. Kent walked in from the kitchen, sparing a glance at her inconsiderate offspring and held out her hand. "Lieutenant Queen, welcome." And they shook hands. "Please sit down. Clark, why don't you help Lois get some iced tea for our guest."

There was that disapproving tone again.

"Yes Agent Kent, why don't you help me." Lois leveled a look at him before she grabbed his arm and pulled him with her into the kitchen. She walked to the service porch door, opened it and pushed him outside before pulling the door closed behind them. "Do you want to explain to me what that was all about?"

"What is he doing here?" He frowned.

"You heard him." Lois couldn't understand why he sounded so annoyed. "He's here because Dad asked him to find me."

"And you believe that?"

"I don't have a reason _not_ to." _Where was this coming from? _"And just so you understand, I don't appreciate you behaving like such a Neanderthal."

"I wasn't." He started to say until Lois cut him off.

"Oh you most certainly were buster, and I don't like it." She glared at him.

"Well what am I supposed to do?" He sighed. "He shows up unannounced and acts like he knows you."

__

He couldn't be.

It surprised her, to say the least and her eyebrows went up because there couldn't be any other reason for his behavior. "You're jealous."

"I am not." He sounded a little too defensive and seemed to realize it. "Why would I be jealous?"

"You _are_." The idea that he would inadvertently reveal his insecurities about her, in spite of the fact that he was in love with her, was something she didn't expect. "Why?"

"I'm not jealous." He insisted even as his cheeks flooded with color and Lois knew she was right. "I just didn't like the way he looked at you."

"And what way was he looking at me that you didn't like?" This was something she had never experienced before with any other man and it illustrated again just how deep his feelings for her went.

"Like he has the right to." He caught her eye and Lois felt her own face warm as she smiled.

"Clark, I don't care how he looks at me; I never did. I just care how _you_ look at me." She approached him and her smile grew wider as he backed up.

Her answer seemed to catch him off guard because he suddenly stopped. "You do?"

"I do." And she laughed as the opportunity she'd been hoping for finally presented itself and she put her arms around his neck. "Because I love you."

__

Mr. Kent was right.

He said the words would be there when she was ready, and they were. Although, it seemed that Clark was having a hard time believing was he was hearing. "What?"

She took a breath and felt her heart begin to race as she saw him swallow and his face flushed again as he tried to process what she was telling him.

"I think you heard me." Lois now understood how her own disbelief must have sounded to _him_. "But I can always repeat it."

And then he smiled as he drew her close against him. "I'd like that."

She pushed herself up on her toes and tightened her arms around him before she repeated it quietly in his ear. "I love you."

"I love you too." He said just as quietly, on a contented sigh and she knew he'd been waiting for weeks to be able to say that to her and then admitted. "And I _was_ jealous."

"You didn't have a reason to be." Lois leaned back in his arms so he could see her face. "I'd be blind if I didn't see how handsome he was." And when Clark frowned, she put a hand on his cheek to keep his attention. "But he's not _you_ and that makes all the difference."

He nodded before he pulled her back into his embrace and held her as his hands lightly roamed the length of her back. There didn't seem to be anything else to say, having declared their feelings for each other, so Lois decided to bask in that knowledge and enjoy his gentle touch before a soft tap on the kitchen window caused her to start.

Clark let her go as the door opened and Lois turned around. "I was starting to wonder why the kitchen was so quiet." Mrs. Kent laughed softly. "And now I know why. The two of you were out here spooning instead of getting the tea."

"I actually brought him out here to give him a piece of my mind." Lois shrugged self-consciously.

"I imagine that you did." Clark's mother smiled at her. "But at the moment, we have a guest sitting by himself in the parlor. So if you would come back inside I'll get the tea and you can find out why he's here."

Lois felt as though they'd been chastised as she walked into the kitchen. But with a brief touch on her arm from Mrs. Kent, she knew that it wasn't the case.

Lieutenant Queen stood as Lois walked back into the parlor, followed closely by Clark. "Mrs. Kent was wondering where you'd disappeared to."

"My apologies Lieutenant." She said as he sat back down and Clark took a seat in the overstuffed chair. She sat down next to him on the arm and he took her hand. When she glanced down at him, he smiled back at her unapologetically. "It was something urgent we needed to discuss."

"Did you get everything straightened out?" He smiled at them.

"We did." Clark answered as his hand tightened around hers.

"That's good." The lieutenant nodded and started to get up off the sofa and promptly sat down again as Mrs. Kent walked in from the kitchen.

"Please don't get up." She requested as she set a tray down on the coffee table and then sat down next to Lieutenant Queen. She handed each of them a glass before picking up her own.

"I was just about to tell Lois why I was here." He started to explain before he looked at her. "The General is still at Fort Harrison on maneuvers. He knew that you were scheduled to have dinner with him tomorrow night and it doesn't look like he's going to be home in time."

"He's going to be sent to the ETO, isn't he?" Lois already knew what his answer was going to be, but had to ask anyway. "That's what all the mountain training is for."

"You know I can't answer that." He told her. "The General will be sent where he's needed and when that's going to be, not even _he_ knows."

It suddenly occurred to Lois that the lieutenant should have been with her father and wasn't. "If Dad is at Fort Harrison why are you here? I thought you would have gone with him."

"If I weren't being recalled to Hawaii, I would have." _She hadn't expected that news. _"It's been in the works for about a month and I'll be headed back in another week or so."

"Can you tell us why?" Mrs. Kent asked before she took a sip of her tea.

"I can't really go into too much detail, Mrs. Kent. Something seems to be brewing and the Army wants all of it's officers that were at Fort Shafter before Pearl Harbor was bombed, back in place. I haven't been given any more information than that."

"Were you there when it happened?" Clark let go of Lois' hand and sat forward.

"I was." The lieutenant nodded. "And I knew some of the fellows that were stationed aboard some of the ships and now they're at the bottom of the harbor."

"The _Arizona_?" He asked quietly.

"And the _Utah_ and the _Oklahoma_."

"I'm sorry." Lois sighed.

"So am I, they were a good bunch of guys." And he added with a sad smile. "Even if they _were_ in the Navy. In any case, I thought you'd be relieved to know that I'll be leaving."

"I don't understand." Clark looked confused and Lois wasn't sure what the lieutenant was getting at.

"I know that my initial interest in Lois was something that bothered you, even though you would never have admitted it." And his smile brightened. "But I never stood a chance with her because she only had eyes for you; though she wouldn't have admitted it either."

_Had she been that transparent? Had he?_

"I've never had much experience being turned down by a woman, especially someone as lovely as Lois. And I must admit it made me try that much harder to get her to warm up to me." He admitted with a laugh. "But it seemed the more I tried, the more she made it clear that she wasn't interested.

"And _you_ made it very clear in the way you treated her, that your interest in her well being was much more than professional."

"I was just doing my job." Clark explained, but Lois didn't miss the defensiveness in his answer.

"Then why did I get the feeling that if I got too close to Lois you'd do what you had to, to defend your territory?" He asked because he seemed to hear the same thing, though Lois wasn't sure she liked being referred to as someone's territory. Even if it _was_ Clark.

"Agent Kent, you always behaved professionally and I'm not trying to call that into question. But what's in a man's heart isn't always something he wants to acknowledge and the situation being what it was, I'm guessing that you didn't."

"Given the circumstances, I couldn't."

The lieutenant nodded. "That's why the General things so highly of you and why he trusts you."

"And I've always tried to remember that."

"Good." He nodded again. "So should I take that to mean that circumstances have changed?"

When Clark didn't respond, the young officer had the grace to look embarrassed and shook his head. "My apologies, Agent Kent; it isn't any of my business." And he sipped his tea.

Clark glanced up and caught Lois' eye and they smiled at each other and then he looked across at their guest. "Circumstances have changed."

"I'm glad to hear that." The lieutenant smiled again before he finished his glass and set it down on the tray. "If you'll excuse me, I really need to get back to Fort Ryan. I only meant to stop by for a moment to give Lois her father's message." And he stood. "Thank you for your hospitality, Mrs. Kent."

"It was very nice to meet you, Lieutenant." Mrs. Kent stood up, took the hand he proffered and shook. "I'll see you to the door."

"If you ever find yourselves with a reason to come over to Oahu, please let me know and I'll give you a personal tour of the base." He looked at Lois, but she had the feeling he meant it for her _and_ Clark. "The islands are an experience that you shouldn't miss." He tucked his cap under his arm and followed Clark's mother to the door.

"Now what do you suppose he meant by that?" Lois wondered quietly.

"It sounds like I never had anything to worry about." He answered with a soft laugh.

"And you didn't believe me." She scolded him before she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Even after I told you that."

"Honey, it wasn't you I was worried about because I trust you." Clark shrugged. "I just didn't think I could trust _him_."

"And now you know different." Lois smiled at the endearment; it seemed to come so naturally to him and he smiled back at her.

"And it occurs to me that I never got to kiss you earlier."

"For what?" _That's it Lois, play the ditzy dame._

"Maybe I should escort you back out to the service porch and remind you." He pushed himself out of the chair and took her hand again.

"Or better yet, escort her back into the kitchen and help her with that recipe." Mrs. Kent walked back into the parlor. "After all, you _did_ seem to think you knew a thing or two about cooking."

"Well I didn't exactly live on roots and berries for five years." Clark laughed and his mother gave him a disapproving frown.

"There's no need to be smart, now."

"I'm sorry Mom." The smile remained. "But if it's all the same to you, I'd like to take a detour out to the service porch, first."

"You don't need to do that, just stay here." Mrs. Kent shook her head in amusement before she turned around and headed for the front door. "I'll be out in the barn helping your dad." She told them before she walked out of the parlor and went outside.

And then they were alone.

"Are you sure?" To anyone else but Lois, the question would have seemed to come out of left field, but she knew what he was asking. She'd told him that she didn't want to tell him that she loved him unless she was absolutely certain.

"I knew it when you kissed me in the barn, I just didn't know how to tell you." She admitted to him as she put her arms around his neck and his face flushed in embarrassment.

"I did a little more than kiss you, Lois."

"I wasn't objecting."

Clark laughed as he shook his head and put his arms around her. "As I recall, you were."

"Only because you were trying to help me tuck my blouse in with your dad standing just outside the barn." She felt her cheeks warm. "If he hadn't been there, I wouldn't have stopped you."

"I'll have to remember that." He teased. "Maybe the next time we find ourselves in the barn?"

"I _know_ we've already had this discussion." Lois felt the need to remind him. "Besides, we don't need to be in the barn for you to kiss me."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "And why would I want to do that?"

"Because you love me." She brushed her fingers across his cheek. "And because I love you."

"I'm glad to hear it." Clark nodded just before he kissed her and Lois smiled. "What are you smiling at?"

"I was just wondering about something." She smiled at him.

"What's that?"

"What's a dash?"


	37. Family Blessings

It was funny how three little words could change a man's life and how those three little words gave him a glimpse at the possibility of a future with her.

Clark hadn't let himself contemplate anything, even with his grandmother's engagement ring tucked safely away in his dresser because before Lois told him that she loved him, it was a moot point. But with the question of her feelings for him no longer in doubt, he knew what he wanted to do.

He wanted to share the rest of his life with her.

But he would have to bide his time and wait for the right moment to see if she wanted the same. Because even though he knew now that she loved him she might not be ready to settle down, or if she even wanted to. She'd been on her own for the last ten years, taking care of herself and _only _herself and the idea of having to take care of someone else might not appeal to her.

And when children came along, as they surely would, she'd be tied down even more.

__

Children.

He'd never considered the idea of being a father before.

But now that he was thinking about it, who would those children look like?

His dark hair had come from his mother's side of the family and Clark wondered if his sons would inherit his coloring or Lois's, if his daughters would inherit his blue eyes or her gray ones. Would they be even tempered like him or would they be as blunt as their mother?

It startled him to think of Lois in terms of being the mother of his children, when he wasn't even sure she would accept a marriage proposal from him. And the idea being married to her got him to imagining how those children would come about and his mind reeled.

The very thought of her warm lips answering his ardent kiss as they lay entwined together in his bed; his hands on her soft skin and the feel of her gentle touch as they finally showed each other how much they meant to the other, was enough to have him considering the merits of a cold shower.

But a cold shower wouldn't douse the feeling of his always wanting her near, of hearing the sound of her voice or her laughter when Dad told her a really corny joke.

Clark was hopelessly in love with a woman who could drive him crazy, but at the same moment make him feel more alive than he ever had before. No other woman he'd ever known held that kind of power over him, and she didn't even know it.

But he knew that even if she did, she would never take advantage of it.

He was on his way back to Smallville after not making it home for the previous two weeks because he'd been sent, with a couple of other agents, to New York to assist the local Feds with an investigation. It wrapped up in time for him to catch a flight out of LaGuardia and get back to Kansas City almost long enough to get in his car and drive home.

As he approached the turn off that would take him either to Smallville, in one direction or to Metropolis, in the other he chose the Metropolis exit. Fort Ryan was on the way and Clark felt that it was time to talk to Lois' father about what his intentions were.

He'd called General Lane when he got back to the field office and asked if he could talk to him. He got the green light to come ahead and the General told him that the MP would be expecting him.

It was never a matter of having second thoughts as Fort Ryan came into view, when Clark felt the apprehension build at what he was about to do. He'd never talked to a girl's father before about anything remotely approaching marriage and he didn't know how Lois' father would feel about _him_ as a prospective son in law.

He already knew how his parents felt about Lois as a prospective daughter in law.

He brought his car to a stop at the front gate and showed the MP his identification. He was told, after a short telephone call to meet the General at his quarters. He was waived through and General Lane was waiting for him on the front porch as Clark stopped in front of the house a few minutes later.

It surprised him to see Lois' father in civvies and it occurred to him that this was going to be a conversation between a father and the man who wanted to ask for his daughter's hand, not an interview between a three star general and a federal agent.

At the moment, Clark knew which he would have preferred.

"You look like hell, son." The General broke the ice as he walked up to the house. "I've got fresh coffee ready if you'd like some."

"Thank you sir, I'd appreciate that." And shook the hand General Lane proffered. "It's been a long day."

"I don't doubt it." He nodded as he led Clark into the house and closed the door behind him. "I talked to Lo last night and she doesn't seem to know that you're coming home."

"As a general rule, I don't tell them. Then if something happens and I get stuck for another day or two, they won't be disappointed."

"Kent, life is full of disappointment."

"I know that sir." Clark nodded. "I just don't want to be the cause of any more."

He smiled and looked as though he wanted to say something, but didn't as he indicated for Clark to follow him into the kitchen. "I've also got some apple turnovers that Lois made for me and they taste just like her mothers, if you'd like something to eat."

__

The turnovers that she'd been agonizing over for weeks.

"Thank you, that sounds good." He pulled out a chair and sat down as the General brought a tray to the table with two mugs of coffee, two plates with turnovers, a couple of forks and cream and sugar.

He stopped for a moment after he set the tray down and snapped his fingers. He turned back to the counter, picked up a spoon and handed it to Clark. "Can't very well stir without this."

They sat quietly as General Lane sipped his coffee, black; the way Lois drank it. Clark drank his the way his parents did, a touch of cream and a half-teaspoon of sugar. Dad always joked it went down better that way.

"So what exactly brings you to Fort Ryan, son?" General Lane set his cup down. "It's not exactly on your way to Smallville."

__

Breathe Clark.

He had to tell himself as his heart picked up a nervous flutter and his hands started to shake. "Lois."

It was all he could manage.

Lois' father chuckled and Clark got the feeling he knew what was coming. "I figured that."

__

Just say it and see what he says.

He took a breath and felt his face warm. "I'm thinking about proposing to her."

The General nodded and it appeared as though he was trying not to grin. "If you're talking to me about this you're doing a lot more than just thinking about it, I think you've already made up your mind. Have you gotten a ring?"

"Dad gave me my grandmother's engagement ring."

"So you've talked to your father about this?"

Clark shook his head. "The other way around, actually."

"You're father is a very observant man. And if he gave you the ring, he must think you're ready to ask." General Lane smiled.

"I wouldn't even know where to begin because I don't know that Lois _wants_ to get married." He shrugged. "I know she loves me, but I don't know if it's enough."

"Clark, the only thing that I can suggest is to follow your instincts. They seem to have served you well with her so far." The General took another sip of his coffee. "Keep in mind as well, that one of the reasons she's shied away from marriage up to now is that she doesn't want to be taken care of.

"You strike me as the kind of fellow who really understands that and it can only work in your favor. Deep down Lois knows that too, so just keep courting her and she'll let you know when she's ready."

"How?" _Lois' father called him Clark_.

"Just keep your eyes and ears open." Was all he would say. "There's something else that you need to keep in mind; Lo's never been in love before. And because of that, she's not in control of the situation, which is where she always likes to be. As I'm sure you've already discovered."

Clark nodded as he considered what the General was telling him.

"This may seem an obvious question, but do _you_ love _Lois_?"

"Yes." He answered simply.

"And she knows that?"

"Yes." He affirmed with a nod.

"Good. At least you're both on the same page now." General Lane chuckled in amusement. "And it's best that you stay on that page together so there aren't any misunderstandings between you."

"Sir?"

"Talk, son." He frowned in frustration because he could see that Clark wasn't comprehending what he was trying to say. "Every good marriage thrives when the two people involved talk to each other. Ellen and I took our opportunities whenever we could find them because I was gone so much. And I'll wager that your parents talk to each other too."

Clark nodded with a reminiscent smile. "For as long as I can remember."

"You and Lois are that way too." He took his fork and speared a piece of the cobbler. "To those who don't know you, it would seem as though you snipe at each other. But from the first day I met you I could see it was just how you were. Only people who are comfortable with each other can talk the way you do and not take offense, or worry about being misunderstood."

"That's already happened." Clark smiled.

"And somehow you still managed to fall in love with her." The General laughed.

"It was easy." He shrugged without apology. "_I'm_ still trying to figure out how she fell in love with _me_."

"Having been there myself, I do understand." Lois' father smiled back. ""But if it helps, I've never seen my daughter happier than when she's with you."

"Happy enough to marry me?" Clark hadn't intended to verbalize his doubts, but the General seemed to understand.

"Just trust what your heart tells you and listen to what my daughter is telling you. Because underneath that tough exterior is a young woman who's been waiting for the right fellow to come along, and saving her heart just for him.

"If you love Lois enough to want to marry her, that tells me you're the fellow she's been waiting for. And it also tells me that she's the girl _you've_ been waiting for. If she weren't, we wouldn't be having this conversation and you wouldn't be tying yourself up in knots worrying over a proposal."

"I've never proposed to a girl before." He admitted. "And if she says no, I don't know what to do."

"Son, stop borrowing trouble." General Lane laughed again. "Just wait for the right time and the right place and pop the question. And if she says no, keep courting her until she says yes. _I_ happen to know that persistence pays off."

"You?"

"Me." He seemed embarrassed to admit it. "I persisted because I knew deep down Ellen loved me and just needed time because she understood that by marrying me, she was also marrying the Army. And more often than not, I was going to have to be away from her and she wasn't sure if she wanted that. She wanted what most married couples have, to be together.

"And if for some reason Lo _were_ to turn you down, I'd wager it would be because she'd have to share you with the FBI and she might just need time to get used to that."

Clark hadn't thought in those terms, as far as his being away so much. And then he began to wonder if it was fair to her or to him to have what could turn out to be a long distance marriage. And what about kids they might have? Would it be fair to them to be a long distance father?

"Don't talk yourself out of it." The General seemed to read his mind. "It's not good for a fellow to travel through life by himself, especially when he's found a woman who loves him and who he loves back. I found that once and even though our time together was short, she gave me two beautiful daughters who have always been a reminder of what we had."

"She can be stubborn."

"So can you." He pointed out. "You just have to be even _more_ stubborn."

They sat in a comfortable silence as Clark finished his coffee and his cobbler. Though Lois wouldn't admit it, she _was_ becoming almost as good a cook as his mother. He got up from the table and the General followed. "I'd better get on the road so I can get home in time for dinner."

"I thought your parents didn't know you were coming."

Clark smiled. "They don't, but Mom always cooks as though she does."

"I'll let you go then." He walked Clark to the door and opened it. "Lois has always known her own mind but when the time comes for you to ask, I think you'll get the answer you want.

"And even though you didn't ask for it, I'm giving you my blessing and her mothers. Ellen would have thought as much of you as I do because you make our daughter so happy."

Clark hadn't expected that, though the hope _had_ been in the back of his mind that Lois' father might give his stamp of approval to him as a future son in law, and he had. He put out his hand and the General took it and shook. "I appreciate that sir. And I'll do my best to make Lois happy."

"I know you will son and she does too."

oooooo

A half-hour after leaving Fort Ryan, Clark turned off the main road from Smallville and drove down the lane toward the house. He saw Lois' car parked next to his father's truck and he smiled as a warmth spread through his chest because he couldn't help but feel as though she were home.

When he walked into the house he could hear the faint sound of music and when he followed it, found Lois in the kitchen. _Where else would she be these days?_

A radio was on as she stood at the sink and it looked as though she was shelling peas. But his attention was drawn to _her_ as she swayed and hummed along to the music. _'Snowfall'. _That song brought back memories of a romantic Christmas Eve dinner and he knew that she was remembering it too.

As he watched, it seemed as though something had her attention because she was looking out the window or maybe he was lucky enough that she was thinking about him. All he knew was that it gave him the perfect opportunity to surprise her as he approached quietly and put his hands on her shoulders.

Clark was the one who ended up being surprised because she didn't start as he expected her to. Instead, she turned the water off and grabbed a dishtowel to dry her hands. She turned around and was smiling as she put her arms around his neck. "You're getting too predictable."

He slipped his arms around her waist and smiled back at her. "I'll have to work on it then."

"You do that." She nodded as he pulled her close and they turned in a slow circle as they began to dance. He closed his eyes as they moved together enjoying the feel of her against him and he heard her soft voice in his ear. "I missed you."

He nodded. "I missed you too."

"But I guess it's something I have to get used to." She said quietly and sighed.

Her comment got Clark to open his eyes and he leaned back to look at her for a moment, just before he kissed her. His love, his life and if she would just give him the chance, his future.

She sighed as she pressed herself into his embrace and kissed him back.

__

He loved it when she did that.

Who was he kidding, he just loved _her_.

"He headed straight for the kitchen, Martha. Just like you said he would." Clark heard his father laugh softly as Lois let him go and he turned to face his parents. "You know son, your mother and I _could_ take this personally."

"But you won't." He grinned at them as Lois moved to stand next to him and tucked her hand through his elbow. He secured it against him and tried to remember the last time she'd taken his arm, and couldn't.

"Only because we know that you're happy to see us too." His mother smiled.

"Mom, that goes without saying." He answered.

"So why didn't you tell us you were coming?" Mom asked him. "I would have set another place for dinner."

__

Because I wanted Lois's father to give me his blessing to marry his daughter.

"I wasn't sure when I would be getting home so I figured you wouldn't mind if I just showed up."

"Of course we don't mind Clark." Dad told him. "This _is_ still your home."

It was and he felt that and if he played his cards right, it would be Lois's too because she'd already become such a part of his family.

He just hoped that she wanted to make it official.

Because he knew he did.


	38. Birthday Girl

Lois was settling down, whether she wanted to admit it or not. _And she didn't._

Becauseshe wasn't ready to, _not yet_.

It didn't matter that she loved Clark and his parents or that she felt as though she'd finally found a place that she could call home. They were part of a world that she wasn't ready to fully enter yet.

At least, that's what she kept telling herself even after she started to have dreams of little boys with dark hair and blue eyes that looked very much like the FBI agent she'd fallen in love with. Sometimes those dreams would include little girls whose honey brown hair and gray eyes were a small version of her.

Would they be mirror images of their parents or would they share a combination of those traits? And why in the hell was she thinking about children?

She and Clark were still learning about each other and marriage had to be the last thing on his mind; it _should_ have been the last thing on hers.

But it _was_ something she had started to think about because marriage meant security and permanence. It meant not having to leave the farm at night to go back to her empty apartment. It meant having the company of another woman around, who mothered her as though she was her own. A woman who didn't see her as competition for the single men who frequented the _Falcon_ and who talked to her about more important things than if a purse matched a pair of shoes.

Most importantly though, marriage meant sharing the rest of her life, in good times and in bad, with the man she loved in a place they both loved. And that brought her back around to children and how she would ultimately become a mother.

The thoughts she kept at arms length during the day, of what it would be like to be with him as a wife was with her husband often came out at night, and in vivid detail. There were times that she could swear the feel of his hands roaming her body and his lips kissing hers was real and she would wake up, shaking with frustration and disappointment that he wasn't with her.

And then she began to wonder if that was the only reason marriage was on her mind, if the desire to make love with him was the driving force.

But the more she considered the idea she ultimately rejected it.

Dad might say that the physical part of their relationship would be the icing on the cake of what they already had together. But even though it was something that she thought about, it wasn't what was most important to her because some of her greatest moments of contentment with him were the everyday things.

The touch of his hand as he held hers firmly in his as they walked around the farm, the sound of his voice as he played with Shelby or his soft laugh when he tried to get a rise out of her.

That usually happened when she was trying out a new recipe Mrs. Kent had given to her, to add to her growing array of cooking skills. Lois always retaliated by telling him that _he_ would be her guinea pig.

He would, in turn, give her a look of mock terror when she suggested it but ultimately compliment her on her tasty success. As much as Mrs. Kent's support encouraged her to try new things, it was Clark's honest assessments and sincere praise that kept her in the kitchen.

Lois looked at her watch as she sat on the porch swing at the Kent farm, with a cup of late afternoon coffee in her hands. She was enjoying the peace and quiet as she always did, even though she knew it was time for her to leave. But the sight of Clark standing in front of an old tree stump near the house, chopping firewood had distracted her.

It was the only thing Mr. Kent would let him do and at the rate he was going, they would have enough to get them through 1943.

Lois' distraction though, wasn't because Clark was chopping firewood, but that he was swinging the single-bladed ax without his shirt on and it gave her a view of what she previously only felt under her fingers.

She watched appreciatively at the play of muscles across his back, as he would throw all of his weight into the swing and bring the ax down. The crack of the splitting wood was a testament to the force he was bringing to bear and the strength he displayed made her flush.

She vaguely heard the screen door open as Mrs. Kent came outside to stand next to her and Lois didn't miss the amusement in her voice. "I thought you were going home."

"I was." She said distractedly.

"Does he know that you're out here?"

"No." She answered honestly.

Mrs. Kent laughed softly. "Honey, your father will be stopping by the _Falcon_ soon. So why don't you go home and get changed for dinner so you'll be ready when he brings you back."

Lois looked back at Clark's mother curiously. "Bring me back?"

"Yes, because _some_one forgot to mention that it was her birthday." Clark's voice caught her attention as she heard the 'thunk' of the ax as he sunk it into the old trunk. When Lois looked back toward him, she was thankful to be sitting down because the sight of his arms folded across his broad, bare chest made her lightheaded. "Lucky for us your dad called to see if we were doing anything to celebrate."

"I _was_ supposed to have dinner with him." _Look at his face_, she told herself but her eyes kept drifting down which he didn't miss and Lois couldn't help but notice how much different he looked in the daylight.

His own face was flushed, but it wasn't from embarrassment. It seemed to please him that she liked what she saw and he didn't move as she kept appraising him, without trying to look as though it was exactly what she was doing. But that was before his mother admonished him to put his shirt on.

"I didn't raise my son to be an exhibitionist." She scolded, but Lois had no doubt that Mrs. Kent was trying to fight a smile.

"Yes, ma'am." He glanced at Lois, his flush deepening as he reached for his shirt and pulled it off of the porch railing. He put his arms through the sleeves and pulled it over his head, covering his body. "So why _didn't_ you tell us it was your birthday?"

"Because we never got around to talking about them." She reminded him as the sight of his bare skin burned itself into her memory.

"We didn't, did we?" He asked her as he walked toward the porch stairs, a soft smile on his face. She had the feeling that her reaction to seeing him was burned into _his_ memory as well. "So how old _are_ you, Lois?"

"I'm twenty-nine, and if you were the gentleman I thought you were, you wouldn't have asked." She raised an eyebrow at him as he stepped up on the porch and sat down next to her on the swing, crowded her to be more precise. He seemed to be daring her to say something, and then grinned because she didn't.

Lois felt the coffee cup she'd been gripping in her hands pulled out of her grasp. "I'll take this inside so Clark can walk you to your car."

"Uh-huh." She nodded but couldn't take her eyes off the man sitting next to her because he refused to take his eyes off her. His skin was still damp from the exertion and the fabric of his tee shirt warm against her arm. She could smell the familiar scent of his shaving soap, mixed with the tang of perspiration and it was an intoxicating combination as she leaned over and pressed her lips to his.

"October fourteenth." He said softly.

"What?" _Lois didn't want to talk._

"_My_ birthday." Clark told her as he brushed his lips against hers. "Just so you know."

"I'll remember." Lois nodded as she put a hand on his cheek to keep his attention and kissed him again. She wasn't exactly sure how he managed because she was so focused on his kiss, but somehow found herself cradled in his lap and then realized she was on her feet, as was he. His arms were around her, holding her close against his work warmed body and her arms were around his neck.

She toyed with the damp ends of his freshly trimmed hair as one of his hands slipped past the small of her back and moved down into territory it had no business going. _Not yet anyway._

"What do you think you're doing?" She leaned back and looked into his dazed eyes as he seemed to reluctantly move his hand back up to join the other at her waist.

"Giving you your birthday present?" He gave her a bashful smile as he loosened his hold on her. "But before things get out of hand, I'll walk you to your car."

She started to laugh as they stepped off the porch and he took her hand.

"What's so funny?"

"It seems that we can't even be left alone on the front porch." She raised her eyebrow at him again as they walked. "Now why do you suppose that is?"

"Because we love each other," He grinned again. "and I can't keep my hands off you?"

"I'll give you points for being honest, G-man." She smiled back at him.

"That's one of the hallmarks of being an agent, Lois." They stopped next to her car. "Honesty and integrity."

"Otherwise known as being an Eagle Scout." She kissed his cheek before he opened her door and she got in. "What time do you want us here?"

"Your dad will let you know." He assured her as she settled in and he closed her door. "Just call him when you get back to the _Falcon_ and he'll give you the details."

"How long have you and the General been cooking this up?" She frowned at him suspiciously.

"Only long enough to keep you in the dark." Clark told her. "Which is difficult to do, by the way."

"Of course it is, I'm Sam Lane's daughter." She shrugged as she turned the key in the ignition and started the car. "And don't you forget it."

"If I do, I'm sure you'll remind me."

"Count on it."

oooooo

She made them promise before they sat down for dinner later that evening that they wouldn't sing 'Happy Birthday', and they didn't. But she couldn't get away from the twenty-nine candles Mrs. Kent had insisted be on the cake or Clark joking about having the fire bucket ready.

"I'll have to keep that in mind when _your_ birthday comes around." Lois tossed back at him with a smile.

"You do that, but just remember that mine will _still_ have one less candle than yours." He smiled back before he took her hand in his and kissed her fingers.

"Don't dig that hole so deep that you can't get out, son." Mr. Kent chuckled.

"Well my daughter _did_ hand him the shovel." Her father smiled just before he took a sip of his coffee.

"Only because he asked her to." Mrs. Kent chimed in with a smile as she handed a cake plate, with a second slice on it, to the General.

"Mom!" Clark protested good-naturedly. "You're supposed to be on _my_ side."

"Finish your cake." She pointed at his dessert. "We can't afford to waste food."

"Should I ask who baked it?" He grinned at Lois.

"I like that." She had to curb the urge to laugh. "Besides, why would I bake my own birthday cake?"

"Just checking." And his grin grew wider. "So does this mean that you'll be baking _mine_?"

"If you keep it up, you _bet_ I will." Lois quirked her eyebrow in challenge.

"I'll consider myself warned, then." He said with a laugh.

"All right you two, that's enough." Clark's mother stepped in. "It seems as though you're both quite through, so why don't you go outside and sit on the swing. It's a lovely evening and it will get you from underfoot while we clear the table."

"Are you sure Mom? Lois and I don't mind helping." He looked at her.

"I know you don't, but it's Lois's birthday; so the two of you scoot." She insisted as Clark got up and held Lois' chair for her as she stood and then took her hand. "And behave yourselves."

They glanced at each other and smiled. "We'll do our best, Mom."

"I'm sure you will."

When they reached the front hall, he opened the door and nudged her out onto the porch before closing it behind them. "Now what would make her think that we can't sit out here alone together?" He laughed softly as she sat down on the swing and when he sat down next to her, took her hand again.

"Maybe because we can't?" She laughed as she put her cheek on his shoulder and sighed contentedly. "This is one of the best birthdays I can remember."

"Stick with us and you can have more." He told her quietly. "Mom really loved being able to do this for you."

"I told her earlier how much I appreciated what she did and how nice it was to be able to celebrate it with my dad and your parents."

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" There was humor in his voice and he had to be smiling.

"That goes without saying." She shrugged gently.

"And you _did_." He laughed again. "It's a good thing I already know how much you care about me."

"_That_ goes without saying, too." Lois smiled and couldn't help but anticipate a kiss she knew was coming and it did. "I knew you were going to do that."

He just shrugged. _That went without saying._

"Lois, I'd like to ask you something. And you don't have to answer me if you don't want to."

She sat up to look at him and he'd turned serious. "What is it?"

Clark's face colored with a light flush as he took a breath. "Do you ever think about it?"

Lois looked at him, puzzled by what he was asking until he raised his eyebrows at her as though to will her to understand. It slowly dawned on her what he meant and it must have showed in her face.

"Never mind." His head went down and he took another breath. "That was out of line."

"Do _you_?" She asked him cautiously after a few moments, not sure she wanted to know.

"I've _dreamed_ about it." He admitted it to her quietly, but couldn't seem to find the courage to look at her.

"So have I." She whispered, not having the nerve to look at him either. "Clark?"

"Yes?" Lois felt his body go rigid and sensed he was anticipating something.

_This was going to be harder than she imagined._

But the pressure of his hand holding hers was reassuring as she tried to gather her confidence. "Have you thought about kids?"

"Yes."

She swallowed a nervous lump that had caught in her throat. "Have you thought about who they would look like?"

"Me." He told her unnecessarily and she rolled her eyes, just before she felt a blush burn her cheeks. "And you."

Lois didn't know why his answer surprised her, but it did and it left her breathless.

"That was out of line." He repeated and let go of her hand, got up off the swing and walked to the end of the porch. "I was trying to be funny to avoid the question, but told you what I thought anyway."

"Clark, it wasn't out of line because I asked." She shook her head as she folded her trembling hands in her lap. "And it seems to me that the more involved we get, these are questions that are going to come up."

"Which brings us back to the start of this conversation." He sighed and sounded frustrated.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" She asked as Clark's shoulders hunched up and Lois knew that he only did that when he was wrestling with something.

"I might have any idea." He answered quietly and before she had the chance to ask him what he meant, the front door opened.

"Why don't you come back in." Lois turned to see Mrs. Kent standing behind the screen door. "Your fathers are doing the dishes, at their insistence. So if Clark will get the gifts for me, I'll walk with Lois into the parlor."

"Gifts?" Lois asked.

"It's your birthday, honey. Of course there are gifts." She replied simply as she opened the screen door and waited. "Come on now."

Lois glanced up to see Clark standing next to her. What ever it was that had been troubling him wasn't evident as he smiled at her. "It's all right."

She wasn't reassured by his lighter mood as she stood up and wondered if he was doing it to camouflage the tenor of their conversation from his mother. They had all become close, but there were still things they each felt their parents didn't need to know.

Their frank talks about intimacy between them were high on that list.

She leaned up and kissed his cheek as they followed Mrs. Kent into the house. Clark was directed to go upstairs to his parent's room and Lois was ushered into the parlor. Mrs. Kent left her to return to the kitchen where, sure enough, Dad and Mr. Kent stood at the sink washing and drying dishes. They were laughing about something, she couldn't hear what. And it made her smile to think that a few short months ago the familial feel of her father and Clark's parents getting to know each other made her uncomfortable.

Now it felt as though it were the start of something.

Clark's mother came back with a tray filled with cups and saucers, spoons and cream and sugar. She set it down on the coffee table and smiled at Lois. "Sit down if you like. We'll be in, in a minute." She said as she turned and walked back into the kitchen, and Lois sat.

"A Kent and a Lane doing dishes together." Clark's soft voice was suddenly next to her ear. "Who would ever have imagined."

"But _we_ had more fun." She leaned back and smiled as he kissed her.

"Happiest night of my life." He smiled at her in return as he came from around the back of the sofa and sat down next to her. He put three packages down on the table next to the tray and Lois looked at them curiously. They were all flat and square.

She felt the urge to pick them up and shake them, but didn't.

"One of them is from me." Clark grinned at his own joke.

"I never would have guessed." Lois couldn't help but answer. "Seeing as how there _are_ three packages on the table."

"Well for all you knew, two of them could have been from your dad or my parents." He teased.

"They _could_ have been, but I knew they weren't." She tossed back. "Because you're too thoughtful to have forgotten to give me something."

"But I already _did_ give you something."

"What?"

"Me." He laughed and she rolled her eyes again.

"Lucky me." Lois deadpanned.

"No Lois, lucky _me_." He leaned in to kiss her again and she heard her father clear his throat.

"We really should have that fire bucket standing by." He quipped to Clark's father. "You never know when two people could burst into flames."

"Dad." Lois admonished him, but the General refused to stop smiling.

"I call it like I see it, Lo. You better than anyone should know that."

"I know." She sighed as Clark's parents followed her father into the parlor. He took his place in front of the fireplace and proceeded to light up one of his cigars as Mr. Kent took the overstuffed chair. Mrs. Kent brought in a fresh pot of coffee and put it down on a hot pad before she sat down next to Mr. Kent, on the arm of his chair.

"Why don't you open your father's gift first." Clark's mother suggested and Lois picked up the neatly wrapped package and looked to her father for an answer.

"Open it and I'll explain." He wouldn't tell her anything more.

She unwrapped what turned out to be a jewelers box and glanced at the General again before she carefully opened the lid. Inside, couched on a bed of velvet was a single strand of pearls and a pair of pearl drop earrings.

__

Her mother's pearls.

"After your mother got sick, we talked a lot about you girls and what we both wanted for you. We also talked about certain things your mother wanted you and Lucy to have. When your sister turned eighteen I gave her the amethyst brooch that Ellen's mother gave to _her_. I was supposed to give those to you when you turned eighteen, but you hotfooted it away from home so fast, I never had the chance."

"I'm sorry."

Her father shook his head. "Water under the bridge. The important thing is that you finally have them."

She set the box down on her lap and ran light fingers over the beads. She had a vague recollection of her mother wearing them whenever she and the General had to go to what he always called 'one of those infernal cocktail parties', that junior officers and their wives were expected to attend.

But she seemed to remember that Mom didn't mind them so much because it gave her a chance to be around other grown-ups, as she explained to her young daughter. And Dad was always proud to walk into the officer's club with her on his arm.

Ellen Lane had a quiet elegance that Lucy inherited and Lois wished she had. But now she had a tangible reminder of those long ago days when her mother was still alive and would admonish her father for his salty language in front of their daughters._ "Little pitchers, Sam."_

"Thank you, Daddy." She blinked to stop the tears she felt forming and it helped when she felt Clark take her hand and squeeze it gently.

The General cleared his throat and nodded. Lois knew how much it meant to him to finally have the chance to pass on her mother's gift and she saw him blink as he took a puff on his cigar. "It's hard to believe that twenty-nine years ago I was stationed at the Embassy in Germany and your mother and I were waiting for you to make your appearance. But you were just as stubborn before you were born as you can be now."

"Dad."

"And why you insisted on being born in the middle of July is beyond me. We were expecting you at the end of June when the weather was nicer, but you just had to wait until the sixteenth and come in the middle of a heat wave." He teased her.

"But you had the easy part." She smiled back at him. "All _you_ had to do was pace around a waiting room."

"And don't think your mother didn't remind me of that." He chuckled as he puffed again. "I always knew an argument was lost when she would use that chestnut. But I know that she'd be happy to know that you have her pearls now."

While Lois and her father were talking, Mrs. Kent had quietly poured fresh cups of coffee and handed them around. Lois had missed her smile of amusement as they sparred back and forth and the glance at her husband who was just as amused.

Lois closed the lid, but kept the box on her lap as she reached for another gift.

"Take this one." Clark urged her and when she looked over at him, he just shrugged and pushed it into her hand. "You should take my parents first."

__

Why?

She wondered, but didn't ask as she unwrapped what turned out to be a book of poetry, specifically, Elizabeth Barrett Browning. When she looked at Mrs. Kent for an answer, she smiled.

"After Clark had gone back to Washington, you spent a Sunday afternoon curled up on that sofa reading _Sonnets from the Portuguese. _I must admit that I never saw you as a young woman who would be interested in poetry and was so pleased to see you reading it.

"So when Jonathan and I were trying to decide what to get you for your birthday, it seemed like the ideal gift. Of course, if it isn't something you want we can find something else."

Lois opened the front cover and it was inscribed with Mrs. Kent's neat handwriting commemorating her birthday.

Mrs. Kent was right when she said that Lois wasn't the kind of girl to read poetry, because she wasn't. But on a snowy afternoon with nothing to do and missing Clark as much as she did, Mrs. Kent sent her to the bookcase to find something to read before dinner.

The title of the book intrigued her and the words helped her feel less lonely for him.

"Thank you both, it was very thoughtful." She closed the book and placed it on top of the jewelers box before she turned to Clark. "All right G-man, no more stalling. How bad is it?"

"You'll have to open it to find out." He avoided her gaze as she reached for the last gift and his face flushed.

"Is this something I can open in front of our parents?" She smiled at his nervousness.

"Lois." He frowned as he studied his folded hands.

What could it be that was unnerving him, or was he having second thoughts about giving it to her?

She pulled the wrapping paper away from a picture frame and when she turned it over, it was the photograph that Jimmy Olsen had taken of them in the alcove at the _Regent_. And as she felt a blush creek up her cheeks, she understood his apprehension.

"_Is_ it something you can show your parents?" The General asked as Lois looked up at him.

"I think that's up to Clark." She told her father because she still couldn't catch Clark's eye, so she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Thank you, it's perfect."

"I couldn't think of anything else." He glanced over at her.

"And that's what makes it so perfect." She tried to reassure him. "Because it came from your heart."

"It's because my heart loves you so much." His face went crimson because it was the first time he'd told her that in front of their parents.

"Well my heart loves you so much too." And she felt the heat in her own face as she kissed him in front of their parents and it wasn't lost on her that it was the first time for that as well.

"Martha, I think it's fair to say that your son's gift far surpassed ours." Lois' father commented with a laugh.

"They were all perfect Dad, because they all meant something." Lois shook her head. "And that's what made this birthday so nice."

"You're welcome, honey." Mrs. Kent's eyes were sparkling and Clark's father had a hold of her hand.

"Well if you'll all excuse me, I've got the evening chores to do. " Mr. Kent stood up. "I've heard Bessie making a racket out in the barn for the last twenty minutes, so I'd better get out there."

"You mind if I come along?" Dad tossed his cigar into the fireplace. "I've spent my whole life on Army bases and your place is a welcome change."

"Dad, I think we caught another Lane with the Kent Farm magic." Clark grinned.

"I believe you're correct there, son. Maybe Sam will find himself running a farm when he retires." Mr. Kent laughed at the General's raised eyebrow. "You never know."

"That won't happen."

"Don't say that too fast Dad." Lois tried to warn him as Mr. Kent walked out of the parlor. "A farm has a way of growing on you."

"I'll leave that to you, Lo." Her father told her and followed Clark's father to the front door. "But it doesn't mean that I can't enjoy some fresh air for a little while."

"Or a front porch swing?" Clark looked at Lois. "It's a nice evening for it."

"I can't think of a nicer way to end the day." She agreed as he took her hand and they followed their father's out the door and settled on the swing.

"And I'm glad that you could spend it with us. Happy Birthday, honey."

"Thank you for sharing it with me." She scoot close to him and put her cheek on his shoulder.

"Thank you for letting us." He brushed a kiss in her hair as he took her hand again.

__

Not a bad way to spend your birthday Lo, not bad at all.


	39. It's Now or Never

Not for the first time since Lois's birthday did Clark find himself sitting up in bed, late at night holding the ring box with his grandmother's engagement ring tucked inside.

The light from his bedside lamp refracted in the facets of the small diamonds and as they winked at him he wondered what they would look like winking at him from Lois's finger.

He'd very nearly proposed to on her birthday, without having the intention of doing so. And looking back at it, Clark was thankful his mother had interrupted when she did because he would have been proposing to her for all the wrong reasons and she would have seen through it.

He knew without a doubt that she would have turned him down and he would have deserved it.

It had come to a point that when Lois would leave the farm in the evening, Clark missed her as much as he had when there had been a few hundred miles between them and their only voice communication had been by telephone.

He liked the fact that she got along so well with his parents and when he would drive in from Kansas City on Thursday afternoons, Lois's car was usually already there. He would find her in the kitchen, more often than not preparing dinner. Or sometimes she would be on the porch swing, waiting for him and reading the book of poetry his mother had given to her on her birthday.

It was something he'd gotten used to, having her there when he would come home and he couldn't imagine a time when she _wouldn't_ be there, he could no longer imagine _not_ having her in his life; for the rest of his life.

Clark wanted to marry her; it was as simple as that.

He just needed to find the perfect moment to ask.

He snapped the lid of the ring box closed and glanced at the clock on his night table. She should have finished with her last show and might be upstairs getting ready for bed. Of course, the way he was feeling he would have selfishly wakened her from a sound sleep if he had to, just to hear her voice.

Clark already knew he wasn't going to sleep until he did and smiled as he swung his feet over the side of the bed and stood up. He held the ring box firmly in his grip as he walked to his bedroom door having made the decision to go downstairs and call her.

He padded down the stairs to the kitchen and walked to the telephone, picked up the receiver and waited for the operator. When she finally came on the line, he requested Lois's number. It rang a few times and she didn't pick up.

The operator told him the obvious; that there was no answer and Clark asked her to keep him connected. It continued to ring and the operator told him she would have to disconnect him just as the other end of the line picked up and he smiled as he heard Lois' breathless, _"Hello?"_

She must have heard the ringing from downstairs and run.

"Hi, it's me."

__

"Shouldn't you be in bed?"

Leave it to Lois.

"I was. But I couldn't sleep and wanted to hear your voice."

He didn't hear anything for a moment and had the feeling she was laughing. _"We just saw each other at dinner. You can't possibly miss me."_

"Why not?" He felt the warmth in his face and realized he sounded like a lovesick schoolboy. "It's been five whole hours and it's five hours too many."

He didn't hear anything again. _"I miss you too."_

"So how did the set go?" There wasn't a long distance restriction and he intended to keep her on the line for as long as he could. "Do I need to straighten someone out?"

He said it as a joke but then Lois sighed and Clark could tell that she didn't want to tell him something and was probably debating with herself on _how_ to tell him. He heard the sound of her shoes being dropped to the floor and knew she was sitting down and massaging her sore feet as best she could. _"It's nothing I can't handle."_

"It's Lana, isn't it?"

__

"Clark."

It was Lana.

_"Please don't worry about it." _She tried to reassure him. _"She's just doing it because she knows I'll tell you."_

"Lois, we have to do something about this."

_"_What_ can we do? Lex owns this place and since Lana's married to him, she can come and go as she pleases."_

"I can talk to Lex." He frowned in frustration because he already knew what her answer was going to be.

__

"Don't even think about it buster."

He heard the irritation in her voice. _"I love you and I love that you worry about me, but I've been handling girls like her since I was in high school; so let me."_

"Lois."

_"Clark Kent, this is not open for discussion." __She told him and the tone in her voice reinforced it._ _"She's like a child who wants something that she can't have and she's throwing a tantrum. And the best way I've found to deal with it is not reacting to it, as much as I'd like to."_

"What is she saying?"

_"It's not important."_

God she was stubborn; but it was one of the things he loved about her.

"Lois."

__

"Clark I'm handling it, so please go back upstairs and go to bed."

She sighed. It was taking a toll on her, he could tell and it was his fault.

"Lois?"

__

"What?"

"That whole thing, about getting involved with Lana."

__

"What about it?"

"I wish it had been you." He admitted as he gripped the ring box. "Because I love _you_."

He seemed to have left her speechless because she didn't respond and then he smiled because he heard Lois clear her throat. Clark Kent had done the impossible and actually flustered Lois Lane.

"Cat got your tongue?" _He couldn't resist _and barely heard her answer.

__

"I do too."

He basked in the warmth of her admission for a moment until he realized that she'd put him off and not told him what Lana said to her, and he let her do it. "Lois?"

__

"Let it go."

"Honey, if this has anything to do with me I have the right to know." Clark thought about his approach and didn't know if she'd go for it. "I know you can fight your own battles and I'm not asking to do that for you."

_"You know that she thinks we're sleeping together."_

And she sighed.

"Is she still trying to convince you that I'm cheating on you?" Clark never knew a woman could be so vindictive because he'd never known a woman who was.

_"No. She seems to have given up that tack."__He heard her sigh again and knew she really didn't want to tell him. __"Her latest salvo is threatening to reveal that I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm in the family way."_

"A baby?"

__

"She's promising that she's going to tell Lex and get me fired and that I won't be able to get a job anywhere because no club will hire a bachelor mother."

"I'm going to talk to Lex." Lana's spite for him and for Lois had gotten out of hand and he needed to put a stop to it.

__

"Don't you dare!"

"Lois, this is about more than you handling the situation by yourself." He reasoned with her. "If she makes good with her threat and spreads what you and I know is a false rumor, it could ruin my career. There is a moral code we're expected to live by and I violated it once, but there was never a baby involved.

"And even though she can't prove it, the Bureau _could_ terminate my service without cause if they think that I fathered an illegitimate child."

__

"Oh, god." He heard her take a deep breath and let it out. _"I hadn't thought of that."_

"What time does Lex usually show up at the club?"

_"He generally strolls in around ten." _She told him._ "But you might want to wait to talk to him until after eleven. By that time, he's had his second cup of coffee and is in a halfway decent mood."_

"If I have my way, I'll make it a hell of a lot worse." He growled. "You're being put into a position you don't deserve because of them, and me." He couldn't help but add.

__

"Don't do that!"

Lois chastised him._ "This isn't your fault any more than it is mine. You made a bad decision and she's still making you pay for it, and you're letting her do it. So just stop."_

He found himself smiling at her tone. "Is that an order?"

__

"You're damn right it is."

She answered and then laughed. _"How is it that you seem to have this knack for knowing how to lighten a mood?"_

"Only because we're getting upset with each other and we're the wrong targets." He shrugged, even though she couldn't see him. "It's up to you, but if you want to steer clear of the _Falcon_ while I'm there, you can always come out here."

_"You don't want any witnesses, is that it?" _She laughed again.

"That's it." He grinned and then his mood sobered again. "You know, I really wish you'd reconsider my parents offer to live here. I can just as easily move into town and drive to Kansas City from there."

_"I'm not kicking you out of your house."_ He could just see her shaking her head._ "You were away for too long and it's not fair to you or to your parents, even if they were sweet enough to ask."_

"They weren't trying to be sweet Lois; they care a lot about you."

_"No deal, G-man. So drop the subject." _She insisted and he reluctantly agreed.

"Well at least come out to the farm tomorrow night for dinner. And ask your dad if he'd like to join us."

_"You've got a short memory Clark; Dad and I are_ _coming out. He wants to make up for the night he had to miss when he was sent to Fort Harrison."_

"I don't have a short memory Lois, I was just preoccupied." He fibbed, because he actually _had_ forgotten. But she didn't need to know that.

__

"You seem to be preoccupied a lot these days."

"I was never a fellow who was prone to it before I met you." He teased.

_"That's because you never met a woman worth being preoccupied over, before you met me." _She observed.

If any other woman had said it, Clark would have thought they had much too high an opinion of themselves. But when Lois said it, all he could do was agree.

_"Now as much as I love being able to talk to you, you need to go back to bed and I need to get ready. "_

"All right." And he smiled.

_"We're not really going to do this, are we?" _She asked him from the other end of the line.

"It worked when I was in Washington."

__

"But you're not in Washington and there's barely thirty miles between us."

"Twenty-five, but who's counting." Clark chuckled.

__

"Well apparently you_ are." _And she laughed softly before she sighed. _"Goodnight Clark."_

"Goodnight Lois, I love you."

__

"I love you too."

He knew she was smiling.

_"On three."_

And he grinned because he knew she'd do it. "One."

__

"Two."

"Three." _"Three."_

oooooo

Lois had taken him up on his offer and bugged out to the farm while he drove into town the next day.

Clark made a point of dressing in a suit, if only to try and intimidate Lex a little, even though he knew that Lex wasn't a man who intimidated easily. But he was a man on a mission to save the honor of the woman he wanted to marry and to put the kibosh on a rumor that could end his career.

He stood in front of the club and tried the door and was surprised to see that it was unlocked. Lois had given him her key to let himself in because the door was never open before noon. But it was _that_ morning.

And when he saw Lionel Luthor standing just inside the door, he knew why.

"It's a little early in the day, is it not?" He asked smoothly.

"I'm not here for a drink."

"Son, I know why you're here and I would strongly suggest that you put this off for another day." The older man advised him. "Lex seems to have found himself in trouble with you boys again and it's put him in a foul mood."

"Excuse me?" Clark felt his breath catch nervously.

"I know the nature of your job, Kent." His voice dropped as he stepped closer. "I remember you from that night you came to talk to Lois and you're the reason she's still alive. Thank you." And he put out his hand.

Clark hesitated for a moment before he put his hand out and shook. "I was just doing my job."

"And are you doing your job by being here this morning?" A small smile appeared on his face.

"No. This is personal."

"I know Lana's been making trouble for Lois and she's trying to intimate that you've found yourselves with an unexpected blessing." He put it delicately. "I don't believe _she_ believes that, but she's a woman who's been denied something she wants and believes that Lois is responsible."

"And she's going to spread this rumor even if it hurts _me_?"

"I don't begin to pretend to understand the female mind. But it's possible that she might think if she keeps bothering Lois, you might just decide that she's not worth the trouble and walk away from her, especially if it means that your involvement with her might jeopardize your career." He surmised with a shrug.

"What Lana doesn't seem to understand, or doesn't want to is that I never loved her. But I _do_ love Lois and as much as my job means to me, she means even more."

"I'm glad to hear that because your job should never come first." He smiled. "But if Lois thought for a moment that you sacrificed your job for her, she'd never forgive you."

Clark nodded in agreement. "I have no intention of sacrificing my job. But I don't have any intention of letting these accusations about her and me go unchallenged either. She's a good woman who doesn't deserve to have her reputation tarnished because I made a mistake."

"You wouldn't be the first fellow to say that." Mr. Luthor shook his head in wry amusement. "Lex just made the mistake of marrying her."

"I was under the impression that they _had_ to get married."

"There _was_ a particular circumstance that led them to the altar, that's true. But once that circumstance was lost, she chose to remain married to him."

"So her misery is of her own making." Clark couldn't understand choosing to live that way.

"Yes. But my daughter in law prefers to blame Lex for her situation instead." He chuckled. "And he blames her for not being the wife she vowed to be. They would actually be perfect for each other if it weren't for the fact they hate each other."

Clark didn't know how to answer such a statement because the only marriages he'd ever seen were full of love and happiness. They weren't perfect by any means, but problems were always faced together. It was the way he and Lois were learning to face things, too.

"Young man, allow me to talk to my son about this; he has a way with Lana that I don't." Mr. Luthor told him. "He may find a way to persuade her."

"That's fine. I just want Lois to be able to come and go without being bothered."

"She's a lucky young woman to have someone in her life that cares so deeply for her." He nodded in what Clark thought was approval. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to have a chat with Lex." And he turned for the club.

"Mr. Luthor." Clark stopped him because of something he'd said. "You said that Lex was in trouble with the FBI again."

"It appears as though an investigation was launched after several complaints were filed alleging that he's using the girls in his clubs as more than waitresses." He sighed. "I warned him about that sort of activity and he wouldn't listen. But then again, he never has."

He added before he turned and walked away.

__

It was about damn time.

Within minutes he was out of the club on the road and headed back to the farm. He hadn't been able to do what he set out to do, but Clark hoped talking to Mr. Luthor would still help Lois.

He also found it gratifying to learn that the Bureau had followed through on their promise to go after Lex in connection to the prostitution in his clubs. They'd obviously been able to find the evidence they needed to make their case and it looked as though he was going to go to prison after all.

It seemed that in no time at all, he was turning down the lane toward his parent's house. The closer he got he could see that Lois was sitting on the porch swing and as he brought the car to a stop, she closed a book that she'd been reading.

He shut down the engine before he opened his door and got out. He pocketed his keys as he walked toward the house and when Clark stepped up on the porch and joined her on the swing, Lois put the book aside.

"So how did it go?" She asked.

"I didn't talk to Lex." He sighed. "I talked to Lionel Luthor and he said he'd do what he can to get Lex to talk to Lana."

"Do you think it'll work?"

Clark shook his head. "I don't know. But I found out something while I was there that I thought you might find interesting."

"What would that be?" She slipped her hand into his and scoot closer to him.

He closed his fingers gently around hers and smiled. "It seems as though the Bureau made good with their threat to go after Lex on the prostitution charges. And from the mood he was in, he seems to know that he's not going to get away with it this time."

"Good." She put her head down on his shoulder. "It's about time he got what was coming to him."

__

Straight to the point as always.

"So what are you doing out here?"

"You're mother said I was getting underfoot and sent me out here." He heard her laugh. "I think she just wanted to have her kitchen back to herself for awhile. I'm helping her with dinner later, so I can't take it too personally. "

"You should never take it personally Lois; Mom likes having you in there with her." He kissed the top of her head. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'd really like to get out of this suit."

"Is that an invitation?" He could feel her laughing against him.

"What do you think?"

She sat up and smiled. "I think you need to go change out of your suit."

"Good answer." He let go of her hand and stood up as she picked up her book. "I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Take your time." She opened it. "I'm not going anywhere."

"All right." He glanced at the cover and could see she was reading Dad's worn copy of _The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn_.

His parents were going to make a reader out her, whether she realized it or not.

When he got upstairs he changed into his dungarees and put on a clean tee shirt. As he sat at the edge of the bed and put his boots on he realized that he'd been wearing his suits only when he had to since he'd come back. And it made him feel as though he were really home.

He stood up and headed for the bedroom door, before he stopped at his dresser. He didn't have to contemplate for long what he had in mind and opened the top drawer. He pulled the ring box from the back and opened it long enough to get his grandmother's ring and slip it into his front pocket.

Clark didn't know exactly why, but the time felt right. And he knew that before the evening was over, he was going to propose. He didn't have any idea how he was going to do it, or what he was going to say but he hoped that she would say yes.

When he headed back downstairs he heard the General's voice coming from the parlor, talking to his mother and to Lois.

"And I appreciate the invitation." He was saying as Clark walked into the parlor. "Good afternoon, son."

"Good afternoon General Lane, it's nice to see you again."

"It's nice to be here." He answered as they shook hands. "I couldn't resist your mother's kind invitation to come out early. Personal time is becoming much more limited as the base gears up to start shipping the boys out, so any time I can get away for awhile is welcome."

"Are you on that list yet?" Clark glanced at Lois and she looked worried.

"Not yet." Her father shook his head. "But as soon as I hear something, you'll be the first to know."

She nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Buck up, Lo; we've got time." The General reassured her, but Lois didn't look convinced.

"It's not the time I'm worried about, Dad." She frowned. "It's what could happen once you get to wherever the Army sends you."

"You can't worry over something that hasn't happened yet." He sighed as he put his arms around Lois and held her for a moment. "The Army is going to send me where they send me and then we'll deal with it."

She nodded and her father let her go. "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"I know that, Lo."

Clark felt his mother's hand on his arm and when he looked at her, she was smiling. "Honey, why don't you take Lois back outside. The day is much too nice to be in here."

"You really don't want me in the kitchen, do you?" Lois laughed and Clark was happy to see that she'd recovered her good spirits.

"Lois." Her father scolded her with a shake of his head.

"It's all right, Sam. I know what she meant." Mom assured him. "All right you two, out."

"Yes, ma'am." Clark took Lois' hand and walked her to the front door. His heart started to race because he suddenly understood that his mother was giving him an opportunity, even though she didn't realize it, and he had every intention of taking it.

Please_ say yes, _kept running through his mind as they stepped off the porch and began to walk. His hands started to shake the farther away they got from the house and as he felt for the ring in his front pocket, he didn't realize he was giving himself away. "Are you all right? You seem to have the jitters all of a sudden."

Damn.

"I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"You." He smiled.

"Well that's always something worth thinking about." She laughed softly before she leaned up and kissed his cheek. "Is there any particular reason that you're thinking about me?"

"Yes." He answered. _It's now or never Clark. _"When I brought you out here last December the last thing I ever expected to happen with you was _this_." He squeezed her hand and he smiled again as she squeezed back. "I've never met a woman quite like you and the more I get to know you, the more I know that I can't see the rest of my life without you in it."

Her own hand started to tremble because she had to know what was coming. "Clark."

"Let me finish, please." He took a breath and trained his eyes on the horizon. "I love you and I know you love me and I'm hoping that you can't see the rest of your life without me in it either."

Lois stopped him with a tug on his hand and his heart threatened to beat clear out of his chest. "Clark, please look at me."

When he finally got the nerve to do it, she looked as though she was trying not to cry. "I _can't_ see the rest of my life without you in it."

"I know that you can take care of yourself and I'm not asking to do that." He started before Lois interrupted him.

"Then what _are_ you asking?" She prompted gently and he saw her swallow, which betrayed her own nerves.

"I'm asking if you'll consider the idea of marrying me." His face warmed as she smiled at him.

"I'll consider it if you ask." Lois teased him.

__

She wasn't going to make this easy

, but then she wouldn't be Lois if she didn't.

Clark reached into his pocket and closed his nervous fingers around his grandmother's ring, knowing she would have approved of his choice. He took another breath and pulled it out before he let go of her hand and looked into her eyes as he presented it to her; and then he smiled. "I would consider it an honor if you would agree to be my wife. _Will_ you marry me?"

He had his answer before she said a word because a tear rolled out of the corner of her eye as her smile grew and when he reached up to brush it away she whispered her answer. "Yes."

Clark blinked a few times as he felt his own eyes tear and held the ring up to show it to her. "Then I think this belongs to you."

She took it out of his fingers to look at it and another tear rolled down her cheek. "It's beautiful."

"Not half as beautiful as the woman who's going to wear it." He grinned as her face flushed. "It was my grandmother's. She wanted me to give it to that one woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with and she left it up to my parents to decide when the time was right."

"Which they obviously did." She quipped.

He took her left hand in his as he took the ring back and then slipped it on her finger before he kissed it. "That's because we all love you."

"Then I think you should have fair warning before we actually get married. You have no idea what you're getting yourself into." She said.

Clark laughed with pure happiness as she laughed with him. "I think I do."

"I just thought you should know." She shrugged with a smile.

"Then I consider myself warned." He nodded and reached up to brush the tears that had begun to roll down her cheeks and kissed her.

He felt her arms wind around his neck as she kissed him back and he pulled her close.

The racing of his heart slowed as the realization of her accepting him calmed him. They were going to have the rest of their lives for moments like these and that calmed him too.

"We should go back to the house and tell our parents." Lois voice was soft in his ear. "Not that they weren't expecting this eventually."

"Were you?" He asked just as softly, wanting to remember this moment and cherish it.

"It crossed my mind, but I didn't think you were ready yet."

"I didn't either until I found myself at Fort Ryan, talking to your dad." He revealed.

Lois pulled away enough to look into his face. "Dad knew about this?"

"No, and neither do my parents." Clark shook his head. "I just wanted your dad to know that I was thinking about it and without realizing it at the time, I wanted his blessing to ask."

"Which he seems to have given you." She smiled as she glanced over his shoulder. He had the feeling she was looking at the ring and it made _him_ smile.

"He did."

"Are you sure about this?" She ran a light hand through his hair. "If you're having second thoughts, I'll give the ring back and our parents never have to know."

"I've never been more sure about anything in my life and I don't want the ring back; it belongs to you now." He caressed her back softly. "And when our grandson wants to marry the woman _he_ loves, you can give it to him."

"Grandson?" Her eyebrows went up. "You're getting a little ahead of yourself there, aren't you?" And then she blushed "We actually have to have kids first."

"I guess that's something we'll need to start talking about."

"Clark, you don't get kids by talking." She laughed and pulled him back against her.

"I know how it happens Lois." He took a breath and his heart started to race again. "And we will."

She nodded.

"So what do you say we go back to the house and break the news?" He suggested.

Lois shook her head. "I've changed my mind. I'd like to stay out here with you and get used to the idea before we tell them." She held him tighter. "Maybe I'm being selfish here, but I kind of like the idea of being engaged and we're the only ones who know."

"I just like the idea of being engaged." He smiled. "To you."

"I love you." She whispered in his ear.

"I love you too." He whispered back.

And then he kissed her.


	40. A Night to Remember

Clark stood at the bottom of the stairs, tightening his tie with trembling fingers and then loosening it again.

It was silly to be so nervous because he'd already taken care of the hard part when he asked Lois to marry him. All they were doing tonight was making it official by going out to dinner to celebrate.

He hadn't told her that he'd made reservations at the same restaurant he took her to the night of the swing concert or that he was also planning on taking her next door to the _Regent_ to go dancing after dinner.

He laughed to himself about that and shook his head at the thought. _It was going to be interesting._

They'd been engaged for nearly a week and Clark smiled as he thought about the reaction of their parents when he and Lois walked back into the house that afternoon, with his grandmother's engagement ring on her finger.

He'd never seen his mother cry before but she did as she held Lois in her arms and rocked her. His father and the General had ear to ear grins as they each took their turn shaking his hand and congratulating him.

But the poignant moment for him was watching Lois' father silently hold his daughter in his arms. Theirs was a prickly relationship sometimes, but Clark got the sense that the General was so overwhelmed with happiness for her that he didn't trust his own voice, at the risk of embarrassing himself with his emotion.

"It's okay Dad, I know." He heard her say softly and her father nodded.

Dinner that night had been more animated then it usually was and one he would always remember.

"Honey, you look very handsome." His mother's voice brought him around as he felt her hands putting his tie back in place. "So stop fiddling with your tie and get moving."

"Do you think it's too much that I made a reservation at that restaurant?" He asked her, suddenly having second thoughts about his choice. "It's going to seem so obvious."

"Clark, it's a romantic gesture that she'll appreciate." She reassured him. "And taking her dancing is a nice touch, too."

"As long as I don't break her toe." He grinned.

"You won't break her toe." His mother frowned at him good-naturedly before she looked at her watch. "Come on now, that reservation won't wait." She admonished and nudged him toward the front door just as the telephone rang.

A moment later, his father walked out from the kitchen. "Clark, it's for you."

"It's probably Lois calling to say that she's not ready yet." He laughed as he walked toward the kitchen, knowing that Lois never ran late. He picked up the receiver and while he didn't really expect it to be her, he was surprised when he heard the voice of Lionel Luthor.

_"I understand that congratulations are in order." __H_e heard_._ _"You're engagement announcement was in the newspaper this morning."_

"Thank you." Clark wasn't sure what to make of his impromptu call.

_"It elicited quite a response in the Luthor household at the breakfast table." __H_e continued_._ _"I understand as well, that you're taking your intended out to dinner this evening."_

How could he know that?

_"It's all Lois has been talking about for the last three days." H_e answered Clark's unasked question_._ _"And the ring you gave her was quite lovely."_

"Thank you." He said again.

_"The purpose of my call is not just to congratulate you but to give you fair warning." H_e cut to the chase.

"Sir?"

__

"My daughter in law was rendered speechless when she read your happy news and has, I fear, become quite unreasonable."

What in the hell did _that_ mean? "I'm not sure I understand."

He heard the older man sigh_. "Agent Kent, I think it would be in your best interest to stay close to your lovely fiancée this evening because Lana has managed to discover where you're going to be. Better still, you may want to consider canceling your reservation or changing the venue."_

"Mr. Luthor, what is it exactly that you're trying to say?" Clark could feel his heart as it started to pound in apprehension and fear.

Lana wouldn't do anything to Lois, _would she_?

__

"I'm saying that she is a woman who feels she's been rejected by a man because of another woman. And you know what they say about a woman scorned."

Lois's father had said the same thing.

"I'm not going to change my plans because Lana might show up. She's never threatened Lois; she's just tried to cause trouble." Clark reasoned.

_"But you weren't engaged before." H_e answered simply_._ _"My concern is that Lana may try to end your engagement, however she deems necessary."_

It was at that moment Clark knew what he needed to do; he needed to protect Lois.

__

"I apologize for putting a damper on what should have been a happy evening for you, Agent Kent. But I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I hadn't forewarned you."

"I appreciate the call, Mr. Luthor." And he sighed. "I know what I need to do."

__

"I thought you might. If you would allow me, I would very much like to treat you and Miss Lane to dinner, if that would be all right."

"Thank you for your offer, but this is something I'd like to do."

__

"I understand. Good evening then."

"Good evening to _you_, sir." As he hung up the receiver, Clark felt himself shifting into agent mode and resented it. He was a man who was newly engaged, very much in love and just wanted to spend the evening with his fiancée.

__

Lana Luthor had just shot that all to hell.

"What was that all about?" Clark's father stood in the doorway. "And why do you look so upset?"

__

How could he explain it?

"That was Lionel Luthor. He was calling to warn me that Lana found out where I'm taking Lois for dinner and he's afraid that she may try something."

"Try something?" Clark could see the apprehension in his father's face as his brow furrowed. "Like what?"

"He didn't say because I don't think he knows. He just said that I should stay close to Lois." He replied. "Apparently, Lana didn't take the announcement of our engagement very well and Mr. Luthor isn't sure what she might do."

"Maybe you should consider postponing your engagement dinner." His father advised. "If it means keeping Lois out of harm's way."

"Dad, she's never made threats before and I don't think that's her plan now." He was _trying_ to believe it. "All she'll probably do is make a scene and try to embarrass us, but I'm not about to gamble with Lois's safety."

"What are you thinking son?"

"It's too late to call the field office for support and get them here in time, so I'll have to call the Metropolis police." And he picked up the receiver again. "I hate this."

"I know you do Clark." Dad put his hand on Clark's shoulder. "This _should_ have been one of the happiest nights of your life, but what you need to focus on now is protecting Lois."

He nodded and waited for the operator. When she came on the line he asked for the Metropolis Police Department and was put through. "How do I explain this, Dad?"

"Just tell them what they need to know." And he heard his father leave the kitchen.

When the Desk Sergeant picked up, Clark tried to explain the best he could what the situation was. He was immediately transferred to the office of the Chief of Police and told to hold. When he asked why he was being transferred, he was told that the Chief was currently on the telephone with Lionel Luthor and he would speak to him as soon as their call was completed.

Clark didn't have to wait long before he was informed that an undercover unit had been dispatched to the restaurant and a marked unit would patrol the area. He was advised to carry his service revolver, just as a precaution.

__

Damn.

He thanked the Chief for his help and hung up before he walked out to the parlor and explained the situation to his parents.

"Is that really necessary?" His mother frowned.

"He said I should carry it as a precaution, just in case the undercover officers can't get to her." Clark told her.

"I think you need to reschedule this Clark." His father folded his arms across his chest.

"I could, and to be perfectly honest I _want_ to." He shrugged in resignation. "But it seems to me that if she's this upset, she's not going to give up. And if she _does_ try anything tonight, she'll be caught and Lois and I won't have to worry about her anymore."

"But to risk Lois' safety." Mom sighed.

"Mom, Lana may not even show." He appealed to her. "And Lois would be the first to volunteer to catch her."

"That's true." She agreed reluctantly. "So don't you think you should tell her about this? She _should_ know what she's walking into."

__

His mother was right.

"I'll tell her when I get to the _Falcon_ and let her decide what she wants to do." And he headed for the stairs.

"Where are you going?" His mother asked.

"To get my gun." He was matter of fact about it. "If Lois wants to go through with this, _I'm_ not going in without a way to protect her."

"Are you going to tell her about that?" Dad asked with a frown of worry.

"I _have_ to. I haven't kept a secret from her since I told her about Lana and I can't now."

"Just is careful son." His frown deepened. "If that girl is as unreasonable as Mr. Luthor thinks she is, that makes her unpredictable and it also makes her dangerous."

"I know Dad, and that's what worries me."

His mother stepped forward and took his father's arm. "Then protect her honey, in any way that you have to."

"I plan on it, Mom; don't worry." He promised as he headed up the stairs.

oooooo

"Please tell me that this is a joke." Lois was justifiably agitated as she paced the small space of her living room. "Please tell me that Lana Luthor did _not_ just ruin our engagement dinner."

"Lois, she hasn't ruined anything." He tried to reassure her. "She may not even show up, but if she does I just didn't want you to get caught by surprise."

"Like _you_ were with that call from Lionel?" She turned to him and her agitation had ebbed. "I'm not upset with you; I'm upset with _her_. She made choices with her life and now she's had to live with them. It's not fair that she's forcing _us_ to live with them too."

"I know, and that's why I wanted to tell you about this. Lois, we can always skip dinner or go somewhere else if you want." He suggested.

"We are _not_ going to skip dinner or go somewhere else." She put her hands on her hips and Clark couldn't help but be proud of her determination. "We are going to dinner wherever it is you planned on taking me, in spite of her."

"Then how would you feel if I carried my gun?"

__

She couldn't have expected that.

"Is that really necessary?" Lois echoed his mother's thought.

"It isn't something I want to do, but Metropolis P D advised me to carry it as a precaution."

That piece of information seemed to get her to rethink the situation, but she ultimately came back to her original decision. "If we don't put a stop to this now, she's not going to leave us alone. Besides, once she's out of the picture, you'll have to take me out to dinner again to make up for it." She informed him with a smile.

"That's fair." He agreed and felt a little better for having their evening disrupted.

"Well then, let's get this over with." She sighed as they headed toward the door. "I've lost my appetite."

"So have I." He admitted as opened the door and waited for her.

She picked up her handbag from the side table before she suddenly laughed. "Is life with you always going to be this interesting?"

"I hope not." He smiled at her as she picked up her keys and stepped out onto the landing, handing them to him. He closed the door and locked it before he handed the keys back to her. When she'd dropped them into her handbag, he took her free hand and walked her down the stairs. "If it's all right with you I'd like to make a detour to the _Planet_."

Lois looked at him, perplexed at his request. "Why?"

"I thought he'd like to meet my fiancée." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "After all, he _is_ partially responsible for that."

"You aren't going to wear those glasses are you?" She frowned her disapproval.

"It never occurred to me." He answered. "Besides, it's late enough that there shouldn't be anyone in the newsroom."

"You liked working for him, didn't you?" Lois asked him as they walked to the entrance of the club. "I know how much you love what you do, but being one of his reporters was something you enjoyed too."

He nodded. "Mr. White is what Dad would call a character. But he's good at what he does and makes the people who work for him good at what they do, too."

"I can't argue with that." She agreed. "You made a very good reporter."

"Thank you, honey." Clark felt his face flush in appreciation as he walked her out the doors and to his car.

When they reached the _Daily Planet _an hour later, Clark looked at his watch and wondered if he would indeed be there. He always used to joke that his wife Alice never expected him home for dinner and would always leave him a full plate, warming in the oven.

But even Mr. White had to go home at some point, he just hoped it wasn't yet.

Clark's departure had been rather sudden, given that the investigation was finished but he didn't want to leave the newsroom without thanking the editor for his cooperation and his advice. Mr. White was more than generous with his praise and told him that his absence would be explained by the simple fact that he'd been offered a job at the _Kansas City Star _and it was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

It felt strange to walk through the revolving door and head to the elevator again. It was as though no time had passed since he'd been there last and he kept his hand on Lois' elbow as he guided her toward the elevator.

When they reached the newsroom floor they stepped off the elevator and sure enough, the light in Mr. White's office was still on. His door was open and when Clark rapped softly on the doorframe, the older man looked up and then he grinned. "Well I'll be."

"Hello Mr. White." He couldn't help but smile himself. "I thought it was time to come in and say hello."

The editor stood up and tightened his tie before he rolled down his sleeves and buttoned the cuffs. "And you brought a very lovely companion with you. It's a pleasure to see you again Miss Lane."

"Hello Mr. White." Lois smiled at him in return. "It's nice to see you again too."

"So what brings you two up to a deserted newsroom at this time of the evening?" He joked. "Not here to ask for your job back, are you?"

"No sir." Clark shook his head. "We were on our way to dinner and I wanted to stop by and introduce you to my fiancée."

"Your fiancée?" Mr. White's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Yes sir." _He liked being able to say that._

"Well I'll be." He said again and then grinned. "Maybe my matchmakin' skills weren't that bad after all."

Clark took Lois' hand. "I don't think we could argue with that."

"So where are you takin' this pretty young lady for dinner."

"The same place I took her the night of the Glenn Miller show." He revealed and saw Lois' face flush.

"Good choice son." He nodded his approval as he came from around his desk. "I won't keep you then; you probably have a reservation."

"We've got time." Clark assured him as Mr. White shook his hand. "I just thought you should know about this."

"I appreciate that." He cleared his throat. "You were a damn good reporter, Kent and my offer stands if you ever find that you want to change careers."

"I'll remember that."

"You do, because I mean it."

"And _we_ mean it when I say that we'd like you to be at the wedding." Lois chimed in and Clark squeezed her hand. "We haven't set a date yet but you have to promise us that you'll be there, you _and_ Mrs. White."

"I'd be honored to be there, thank you." He wasn't expecting that, Clark could see it in his expression. "Get goin' now, you don't need to be spendin' the evening in a musty old newsroom with me." And he walked with them to the elevator. He pushed the button to call the elevator car and turned and walked away.

"A man of few words." Lois observed as they waited.

"He's a lot like your dad in that way." Clark commented as the door opened and they stepped on.

"I'll be sure to tell him you said that." She laughed as the door closed and they rode back down to the lobby.

By the time they got to the restaurant, he was having serious second thoughts about putting Lois in the middle of what could be a dangerous situation. Clark didn't know how unpredictable Lana could be and had no idea what she was capable of.

But he knew that somewhere in that restaurant they were being watched, as was the door. It _should_ have given him a measure of comfort, but it didn't.

He took a surreptitious look around the room as he held Lois' chair for her and tried to figure out where the undercover officers were. He felt the weight of his shoulder holster holding his service revolver against his side as he sat down and tried not to look as worried as he felt.

"Do you think we should at least order something to drink?" Lois suggested as she laid the linen table napkin across her lap and then glanced up. "On the other hand, something tells me that we won't get the chance."

"What is it?" He asked needlessly because he knew what she meant. "Lana."

Lois nodded and her complexion paled a little. "She just walked in and is headed straight for us."

Clark nodded and hoped the undercover officers were nearby.

"I guess I should offer my congratulations." Her voice was smooth but from the look on Lois' face, Lana's expression was anything but pleasant.

He stood up and turned, making sure that Lois was behind him. "If I thought you meant it, I'd say thank you."

"You don't think I'm sincere?" She asked, betraying the fact that she wasn't.

"I find that a little hard to believe, seeing as how you've been making trouble for her recently."

And before he could react, she withdrew a small snubbed-nosed revolver from her handbag. "Trouble that _she_ caused."

"What are you talking about?" His heart began to race in panic. "Lois didn't do anything."

"She came between us." Lana told him and it worried Clark than she sounded so levelheaded.

__

The calm before the storm.

"Ever since I read about the engagement, I couldn't help but think about us and that if Lois were out of the way, you would come back to me." She told him.

"Lana, we were never going to work because you were married and you weren't going to leave Lex, not even for me." He tried to reason with her and the whole time wondered if Lois was all right. "What we did wasn't right. I always knew that and it was why I was never really happy."

"You can't mean that." She frowned. "We _were_ happy."

"You were trying to get back at Lex because he wasn't making you happy."

Lana seemed to consider his words before she suddenly turned the gun on him. "Then it seems curious, doesn't it that you make _Lois_ happy."

"I don't understand."

"It's simple. The more I think about it I realize that with _you_ out of the way, Lois will know a pain that can't even compare to mine."

"Lana." He didn't have time to reach for his revolver. "Think about what you're saying."

"I've done nothing _but_ think about it Clark." He heard the distinctive sound of the gun being primed for firing and Lois stood up. "Say goodbye to him Lois."

"Not so fast, my dear." Lionel Luthor seemed to appear out of nowhere and startled Lana, causing her finger to jerk and she pulled the trigger.

Clark felt the sudden, indescribable pain of having a bullet smash into his shoulder, knocking him to the floor.

"Clark!" He heard Lois' panicked voice before she was down on her knees at his side almost immediately, pulling his suit coat back to check the damage. "You should feel lucky."

__

Leave it to Lois.

"I should feel lucky that I have a bullet in my shoulder?" He asked as she scoot behind him and put his head in her lap as his shoulder began to throb. She reached over and grabbed her napkin from the floor, where it had fallen when she stood up and folded it before pressing it into the wound to staunch the bleeding.

"You should feel lucky that she didn't get you through the heart." She gave him a shaky smile as she leaned close to his ear. "You're not about to cheat me out of our wedding night. And a new pair of stockings because I just ran the hell out of these." She added indignantly.

"It's nice to see that you have your priorities." He smiled at her even though his shoulder hurt.

"Do you know how hard it is to even _find_ stockings? I'm going to have to resort to leg make up until I have enough rations stamps and can find another pair." She frowned as she ran her free hand across his cheek and Clark wasn't sure who she was trying to reassure with the gesture, himself or her.

__

Maybe it was for the both of them.

"My apologies Agent Kent, I was hoping to forestall something like this happening. And unfortunately I was the cause of it." Mr. Luthor sat down in Clark's vacated chair. "Lana's been taken outside and an ambulance has been dispatched. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"You can tell that daughter in law of yours that if I ever see her again, she's going to regret it." He heard the anger in Lois's voice. "And where in the hell are those officers anyway? Fat lot of good _they_ did."

"We're right here." Clark heard a man's voice approach from behind them. "We couldn't get a clean shot at her."

"She didn't give us an opportunity." He heard a female voice explain.

"What exactly were you waiting for, an invitation?" She shot back and Clark had the absurd urge to laugh.

"Lois, honey; they did the best they could." He tried to calm her.

"Well it wasn't good enough." She fumed, refusing to be calmed. "Where in the hell is that ambulance?"

oooooo

In four and a half years of being a field agent, Clark Kent had never been shot in the line of duty.

It was ironic then, that when he found himself in the situation of being on the business end of a bullet, it wasn't while he was doing his job. He was protecting the woman he loved.

Clark never really understood what that meant until that night and he knew that if he had to do it again, he wouldn't hesitate; though Lois would probably have other ideas. And the thought of that made him smile.

"Why are you smiling, son?" Clark looked up to see his father at the door of his room, sporting a smile of his own. "I'd think that you would be in some pain."

"That's what sedatives are for, Dad." He shrugged and then wished he hadn't because it hurt.

His father turned serious and walked to the bed. "Your mother and I got quite a scare when Lois called to tell us what happened."

"I should have anticipated it." He frowned. "As agents we're trained to deal with situations like that and I should have considered the idea that Lana might try something drastic."

"Clark, you weren't there tonight as an agent, you were there as an engaged man." Dad sat down in the chair next to his bed.

"I'm an engaged man who is a Federal agent. I was forewarned of a potentially dangerous situation and I should have considered all of the possibilities, no matter how unlikely." He sighed. "Lois's safety depended on it."

"And she _is_ safe, thanks to you. Don't forget that." His father tried to reassure him.

He nodded.

"Son, the thing you need to remember is that Lois is safe and because of what Lana did, she's now in jail and you won't have to worry about her any more."

"At least there's that."

"You understand though that Lois expects you to make it up to her." He laughed.

Clark smiled back. "She's already made that very clear."

"She's going to keep you on your toes, you know." His father was stating the obvious.

"I'm counting on it." He replied and he closed his eyes.

"I'll let you get some sleep." Clark heard Dad say as he got up and felt a gentle pat on his good shoulder.

"Thanks Dad." He sighed and felt himself drifting off into sleep. When he woke again, Lois was asleep next to him. Her head was resting on his uninjured shoulder and her hand was resting over his heart, so she must have known he was awake.

"Christmas Eve." Her voice was sleepy.

"What about it?" Maybe it was the effect of the sedatives, but he didn't understand.

"I want to get married on Christmas Eve." She snuggled into his shoulder.

"Why?"

"It was the night we admitted that we were falling in love with each other and it was one of the most wonderful nights of my life."

__

Who knew his bride to be had such a romantic streak?

"Then we'll get married on Christmas Eve because it was a night I won't forget either."

"I love you." She caressed the spot over his heart, as though to reassure herself that he was all right.

"I love you too." And he laughed softly and pressed a kiss in her hair. "Now go back to sleep."

"Only if you will."

He didn't say anything.

"Clark?"

"I've gone back to sleep Lois. That means _you_ have to."

"Goodnight Clark." And he felt her relax.

"Goodnight honey."

And they drifted off to sleep.


	41. And Now It All Begins

"Have you talked to young Kent about where you want to get married?" The General asked her as he got the box with her mother's wedding dress and veil out of his closet.

"Dad, why don't you call him Clark?" Lois asked him and tried not to laugh. She _should_ be annoyed that he continued to refer to her fiancé as 'young Kent', but since he _did_ occasionally call him by his given name she wasn't going to press the issue.

"Maybe after you've been married for a few years." He chuckled. "And given me a grandson or two."

"Dad." Lois felt her face warm and the laugh she'd held back came out softly. "But what if we only give you granddaughters?"

"If they look like their mother, I won't mind." He gave her a brief kiss on her cheek and she smiled; the old man was getting soft. He put the box on his bed and lifted the lid. "Now unless you've gained some unexpected weight since the last time you tried this on, it should still fit."

_Unexpected weight? "_What's _that_ supposed to mean?_"_

"It didn't mean _any_thing, you just chose to take it that way." And she could see that he was trying not to grin.

"You're fishing!" She glared at him. "Just what did you expect to catch?"

"Is there a reason why you're so defensive?" He asked.

"I haven't gained any unexpected weight." Lois frowned at him. "You know Clark better than that."

"And I know _you_ better than that too." He soothed her and then he did grin. "You've been telling me that I need to lighten up and when I make a joke, you take it seriously."

"By suggesting that I'm in the family way?" She fumed and then inexplicably began to laugh. She knew that Dad thought a lot more of her and of Clark than that and she _had_ been trying to get him to stop being so serious.

"Lois, if I had even remotely suspected that you might be I wouldn't have joked about it. And seeing as how it's already October and you aren't pushing the wedding date up, it's pretty much clear that you aren't."

"It's not like I don't think about it." She sighed and sat down at the foot of the bed.

"I don't doubt you do and I have no doubt that he does, as well." He sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "This is where it gets tough Lo. You're in love, you're engaged; your wedding is still three months away and you want to know the joys of wedded bliss."

_My father did not just say that._ Lois felt her face burn with a blush and she closed her eyes in embarrassment.

"Well am I right?" He asked her. "It's only natural you know."

"I can't believe you said that!" Sometimes Dad's straightforward manner was too much, even for her.

"Don't be bashful about it." Her father wouldn't back down. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to be with the man you love; it's the consequences you sometime have to pay when you don't wait."

"Lucy." _So _that's_ where this was going._

"Your sister is headstrong like you are but she's impetuous too." He sighed. "I know how much she loves Andrew and she's thrilled to have Michael. But if they'd just waited a little longer, she wouldn't have had to push up _her_ wedding date."

"He was being sent overseas." Lois defended her sister.

"He was going to the Embassy in Germany as an Army attaché, not into combat." The General shook his head. "They had plenty of time to get married before he went and he'd already listed her as a dependent; your sister just got too impatient."

"Did you and Mom wait?" She challenged him.

"Hey now!" He got up off the bed and Lois tried not to smile at his red face.

Would wonders never cease, she'd flustered her own father.

"Not that it's any of _your_ business Miss Nosey, but your mother and I waited until the knot was tied, good and proper; Ellen wouldn't have it any other way." He huffed indignantly. "So when I tell you that it gets tough this far out, I know what in the hell I'm talking about."

She couldn't help it, but started to laugh and to her surprise he laughed with her.

"You're going to keep that boy on his toes, that's for sure." The General shook his head and moved back to the bed and sat down. He then took her hand in his and sighed. "My baby girl is getting married."

"Dad." She felt her eyes tear at his sentiment because her father was not a sentimental man.

"It's at times like this I can't help but wish your mother was here." He sighed again. "This sort of thing isn't something you're supposed to share with your father."

"Considering that we didn't talk much for almost ten years, I think you're _just_ the person to share this with." She told him.

"Then would you consider a suggestion for a place to get married from someone you want to share this with?" He asked. "If you haven't made a decision, that is."

Clark had been away so much during the previous month after being put back on active duty, that they hadn't had much time to discuss it and told her father that.

"How would you feel about getting married here, at the chapel?" He suggested. "I don't know what you two had in mind but if you wanted to keep the wedding small, it would suit your purposes. It's nothing fancy and the base chaplain could perform the ceremony."

Lois could tell that he'd put a lot of thought into it and put her head on his shoulder. "It does seem appropriate that Mom's dress be in another wedding at an Army chapel, don't you think?" She mused. "I don't think he really cares, but I'll talk to him when he gets home."

"Don't do this because you think I want it." He told her. "It's just a suggestion."

"Throw in the Officer's Club for the reception and I don't see how he can refuse." She laughed softly.

"I thought for sure you would have wanted it at the _Regent_." He chuckled in return. "After all, there _is_ a certain alcove that I'm sure has fond memories for the both of you."

"You _would_ remember that." Lois shook her head and smiled.

"Seeing your oldest daughter in a passionate embrace with a fellow you don't know tends to do that." He volleyed back.

"It wasn't a passionate embrace." She sounded defensive and knew it.

"It was from where _I_ was standing." He insisted just before he laughed again. "In the end it doesn't matter. You and Clark get married and have your reception wherever the hell you want. As long as I'm there to escort you, it doesn't matter to me."

"You'll be there Dad, don't worry about that." She assured him. "And I like the idea of the base chapel; I feel like I'd be closer to Mom."

"As long as we talk about her, she's close." He smiled at her. "Thank you for that."

Lois wasn't used to her father being so mushy and cleared her throat before she stood up. "I'll take good care of her dress."

The General stood up slowly next to her and his eyes were suspiciously moist. "It's yours now, Lo. It was always your mother's intention that you wear it and then when _your_ daughter was ready to tie the knot, hand it down to her and tell her about her grandmother."

"That would be better coming from her grandfather, don't you think?" She asked him. "You knew her better than I did; you have more memories of her than I do."

"That's true." Dad nodded. "But I think Ellen's idea was that you share what you _did_ remember of her, instead of passing on stories from me."

"We're not even married yet and you're talking about grandchildren, _again_." She emphasized and felt a blush burn her cheeks.

"It's hard to imagine kids until you actually have them." The General told her. "And then after you do, you wonder how you could live without them."

What was with her father, being so sloppy and sentimental?

"I know that I was away a lot and didn't get to see you and your sister grow the way your mother did. But if it hadn't been for you girls, I would have been lost after Ellen died." It wasn't the first time he'd told her that and it struck Lois that it was something he really wanted her to realize.

"I know Dad." She hugged him before she shooed him out of the bedroom.

"Just call if you can't get to all the buttons." He offered as Lois closed the door.

"I will." She answered as she walked back to the bed and lifted the veil out of the box. She inspected it for any moth damage or signs of age and was relieved to see that the length of lace was intact. If it hadn't been, she could have had it repaired because Mrs. Kent knew a lady in town who specialized in lace making and repair.

__

Mrs. Kent.

Lois couldn't help but smile because in another three months, that was going to be her name and it was taking some getting used to. And Clark's mother was trying to get her to stop calling _her _Mrs. Kent and call her Martha instead.

That was taking some getting used to as well.

Clark was going through much the same thing with her father and he was finding it just as daunting.

Their relationship with each other had changed so gradually, that each was able to absorb the changes as they came. But now that a wedding was on the horizon, changes seemed to be coming at them fast and furious and it was taking more of an effort to adjust.

But adjusting they were, and gladly.

She slipped into her mother's dress, fastening all of the buttons she could reach and walked to the standing mirror. The last time she'd done it, she didn't have the nerve to look at her reflection and she was getting much the same feeling now.

This time, however she wanted to see what her father saw that afternoon; and she saw her mother.

It also brought home the reality of how much her life was going to change and the truth of is was she was getting impatient. It was a good thing Clark had more than enough patience for the both of them.

"Lo, stay in the bedroom." She heard her father's voice call to her. "Clark is here."

_Of course he was. S_he laughed to herself. "Why?_"_

"I've missed you too." Lois heard the humor in his voice as it carried down the hallway; he could be such a smart aleck. "We're supposed to go apply for our marriage license."

_Was that today? __"_It's not next Friday?_"_

"Mom and Dad got a call from the county courthouse to remind us about the appointment and it's today." He started to laugh. "It sounds like _some_one forgot about it."

"I didn't forget; I just got my days mixed up." She called back as she undid the buttons loops and stepped out of the dress.

"You just don't want to marry me and can't find a way to let me down easy." Then he started to laugh.

"Keep talking like that and you'll be spending our wedding night on the sofa." She answered with a smile. "And don't think that you won't."

All she heard was laughter.

"When did you get home, anyway?" She asked him as she changed into her dress on and stepped into her shoes as she tugged on the zipper to pull it up.

"Late this morning." He told her and Lois heard his voice come closer to the door. "We wrapped things up yesterday and I got into Kansas City late last night. I filed all of my paperwork and got a room at the 'Y' instead of trying to drive home."

"Thank you." The idea of his driving home late at night and exhausted from a long trip was something that always worried her.

"I did it for you." He laughed again and she could hear that he was on the other side.

"You've got that right." She said as she folded her mother's dress and tucked it back into the box. She laid the veil on top and put the lid back on.

"Leave the box on the bed." Dad called. "I'll drop it by the _Falcon _later, while you're at the courthouse."

"Thanks Dad."

"Is it back in the box?"

__

Was the General superstitious?

"It is." She smiled.

"Then you've got company." She heard a chuckle. "I need to go back to the office for a little while, so I'll meet you back here for dinner."

"Six o'clock?" She asked to confirm.

"On the dot." He said in answer and she heard the faint 'thump' of the front door closing.

"Alone at last." Clark laughed again as Lois walked over to the bedroom door and opened it. She stepped out of the room and practically into his arms as she closed it behind her. "I like how you close a door."

He was kissing her before she had time to put her arms around his neck, but it didn't stop her from kissing him back as she felt his body pressing hers against the door. "I like the way you block a door." She sighed as her arms found their way around his neck. "Hi ya, Handsome; I've missed you."

His face flushed as he smiled back and got his arms around her waist. "You haven't called me that in awhile."

"Then I was overdue, wasn't I?" She gave him a soft kiss. "What time is our appointment?"

"We have to be in Granville in a half-hour." He kissed her back and sighed. "So we'd better not start anything."

"You're taking all the fun out of being engaged." Lois teased him as he let her go and gently unwound her arms from around his neck before he took a free hand in his.

"I'm doing my best." He declared as they walked back out to the living room and then she followed him to the front door after picking up her hat and handbag from the coffee table.

As she secured the front door and walked with Clark to his car, Lois told him about her father's suggestion for a wedding site. "It's fine with me, but I told him I'd have to talk to you because I wasn't sure if there were some place that you had in mind."

"Since it seems to mean so much to your dad that we get married here and it's all right with you, then I think we should." He shrugged. "He couldn't walk Lucy down the aisle because she eloped, so I think he should have the chance to do that with you."

He opened the passenger door and waited for her to get in. "The closer the wedding gets; he's getting more sentimental." Lois commented as he closed her door.

"His oldest daughter is getting married." Clark commented as he sat down in the driver's seat and closed his own door, before putting the key in the ignition. "And it sounds to me like he's really missing your mom, too."

"He has been talking a lot about her." She commented as she put her hat on before pulling the hatpin out. "I think one of the reasons that he made the suggestion was that he married my mom in an Army chapel and they had a good marriage." She stuck the pin back through the crown, securing it to her hair.

"Since he wants the same for us, he wants to give us the same start that _they_ did." He reasoned.

"You're a very smart man." She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"I fell in love with you, so I must be." He smiled at her and started the engine.

oooooo

"We had an appointment to see the County Clerk a half-hour ago." Lois tried not to sigh in irritation. "And we're getting bumped for all of these wartime licenses."

"It's a fact of life right now, honey." He was trying to keep her calm and she appreciated the effort. "With the waiting laws being waived for fellows in the service, the GI's are going to want to get married before they're shipped overseas. And even though we have an appointment, they're going to get the priority."

"I suppose that if you got drafted, _you'd_ get priority." She frowned.

"Lois, I'm nearly twenty-eight and past draft age." He pointed out the obvious to her.

"Don't be cute, you know what I mean."

"They'll get to us when they can and it's the best they can do."

__

There he goes, being reasonable again.

"I know it is." Then Lois did sigh when she realized that she was starting to sound like a five-year-old. "I've never been good at waiting."

"I didn't know that." She knew even before she looked at him that he would be smiling. And when she did, he was.

"Clark Kent and Lois Lane?" Lois looked up to see an older woman standing in front of an open door and she stood up. Clark stood up next to her, took her hand and they walked toward the woman. "You're here to apply for a marriage license."

"Yes, ma'am." He answered for them.

"Congratulations to you both." She smiled and Lois' sour mood disappeared. "I know that you had an appointment and I do apologize for the delay. But if you'll just come with me, we'll let the state of Kansas know that you want to get married."

_I like her. L_ois decided as she and Clark followed her through the door_._

"We've been trying to process these applications as quickly as we can for those who aren't applying for a special license, but with the waiting laws being relaxed we can hardly keep up."

"We were just discussing that." Clark commented as he glanced at Lois.

__

Mr. Smart Aleck.

She stopped in front of an office door and opened it. "Step in here please. A clerk will be with you in a moment."

"Thank you." Lois felt the need to tell her.

"You're welcome, Miss Lane; and thank you again for your patience." She closed the door and Clark chuckled.

"She obviously doesn't know you very well, does she?" He teased.

"That sofa must be more comfortable than I thought." She raised an eyebrow at him.

And all he did was laugh.

"Good afternoon, young people." A door opened from the other side of the room and a smiling clerk walked into the room and sat down at a desk. "You're here for a license."

"We are." Clark nodded.

"Well then, have a seat and we'll get things started."

They glanced at each other and Lois wasn't sure who was smiling more; this was actually going to happen. She took a seat and after Clark sat down next to her, the clerk began to explain the procedure and they started to fill out what seemed to Lois, endless forms.

Their birth certificates were presented for proof of their age and the clerk glanced up for a moment and at each of them and then smiled.

__

Yea, yea, I'm older.

"We have a nurse down the hall who will need to take a blood sample from the both of you before you leave." He handed Clark a form. "Go to Room 35, give this to her and tell her it's for a marriage application. When are you planning your ceremony?"

"Christmas Eve." Lois told him and she and Clark glanced at each other again.

"Hopefully there won't be a blizzard." The clerk laughed at his own joke. "You picked a lovely time of the year to get married."

"Thank you." Clark replied and shook his head in amusement.

One final form was presented and a pen was handed to each of them. "Please read this over and if everything is correct sign at the bottom and affix today's date next to your signature."

The information was accurate and with one last glance at each other and a shrug from him, they each took their turn signing the form and dating it. The clerk took the form back and stood up, which got the engaged pair to do the same.

"On behalf of the State of Kansas and Lowell County, allow me to congratulate you. The nurse is expecting you, so as soon as you take care of that we'll finish processing your application. You'll be notified when the license is ready and you can come collect it." He held out his hand and shook Lois's and then Clark's before he walked them to the door.

He pointed them in the direction of the room they needed to go and closed it behind them.

"I don't suppose I ever told you that I hate needles." Clark commented just before he took her hand in his and walked with her down the hall.

oooooo

"Would you lie still." Lois insisted as Clark tried to get up from the sofa and readjusted the cold cloth she'd put on his head. "You weren't kidding when you said you didn't like needles, were you?"

"When I was a kid, Mom always had a hell of a time getting me to go the doctor if there was a shot involved. So the only way she could get me to go was to not tell me." And he managed to smile.

"This isn't funny Clark, you passed out." She frowned as she sat next to him. "You really should go upstairs and rest."

"Only if you come with me." He grinned at her. She was relieved to see that the color was returning to his face and took his hand in hers as she shook her head.

"If I do that, you're going to try and do anything but rest, which is exactly what the nurse said you had to do."

He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. "Please tell me that they got the blood sample."

"They did, while you were laid out on the floor." Lois had to squelch the urge to laugh. "The nurse figured that it was better to take care of it then, instead of bringing you around."

"She's almost as smart as you are." He told her.

"Flattery is not going to get me upstairs." She shook her head again. "You on the other hand."

"You just told me to lie still." He grinned again.

"Are you going to be this difficult when you get sick?" Lois sighed. "Because if you are, I might just have to reconsider getting married."

"For better or for worse? That _is_ part of the vows." Clark reminded her.

"Vows that I haven't taken yet, buster." She ran a hand down his cheek. "You really had me worried."

"I'm sorry." His answer was sincere. "I've never passed out before, honestly. It was probably the fact that I've been traveling so much the last few weeks and getting in late last night and driving home so early this morning."

It suddenly dawned on her. "When is the last time you ate something?"

"Lois."

"Answer the question." She insisted.

"I don't know." He frowned. "I might have had a sandwich and coffee while I was typing up my report last night."

"More likely a bite of sandwich and a sip of coffee after it got cold." She frowned back. "It's a wonder you didn't starve to death living by yourself."

"They aren't even married yet and she's already sounding like a wife." Lois heard Mrs. Kent's soft laugh from the front hall. She wasn't even aware they'd come in the house.

"He passed out before the nurse could take a blood sample for part of the application process." She told his parents and Clark rolled his eyes at her.

"They didn't need to know that." He chastised her quietly.

That piece of information brought his mother to the sofa with a frown of concern on her face. "How are you feeling?"

"Embarrassed." He told her. "It doesn't exactly make a fellow look good when he passes out in front of his fiancée."

"Remember you said that when I'm dealing with morning sickness." Lois said to him and didn't realize how it sounded until she looked at the surprised faces of his parents. "When I _eventually_ find myself expecting."

__

Good one, Lois.

"We just got back from town and thought we'd pass on some good news." Mr. Kent tried to hide a grin at Lois' discomfort. "It appears as though the FBI took Lex Luthor into custody earlier this afternoon. There was finally enough evidence about what was going on in his clubs to indict him, so he is now on his way to the Kansas State Penitentiary where he will be held, without bail until he goes to trial."

"Mr. Kelly swore that we would get him." Clark sighed in what sounded like relief. "And we did."

"Congratulations honey, that's good news." Mrs. Kent smiled at him. "I know how much you worried about it."

"Fellows like him always get what coming to them. Sometimes it just takes a lot longer than we'd like." He told her as he slowly sat up and handed the damp cloth to Lois. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think I _will_ go upstairs, change out of this suit and lie down."

"Are you sure you're all right, son?" His father looked worried.

"I'm fine Dad." Clark reassured him as he took his time standing up and Lois watched him with concern as _she_ stood up. "The nurse told me to get some rest and that's what I intend to do. I'll sure sleep easier knowing we finally got Luthor, though." And then he stopped. "Lois is having dinner with her father tonight and I just realized that her car is at Fort Ryan."

"We'll get her there son, don't worry about that." Mr. Kent promised him as Clark headed for the stairs.

"I'll bring you something to eat later." His mother told him.

"That's okay Mom, just call me. I'll be right as rain in an hour or so." He promised and headed upstairs.

"He likes to think he's completely recovered from that bullet wound." Lois observed as she watched him go. "And he works harder than he should to prove it."

"After you're married, part of your job will be to make sure he doesn't do things like that." Mrs. Kent told her.

"That's like telling the sun not to set." She sighed.

"You'll find a way Lois; just like Martha did." Mr. Kent observed as he turned toward the front door. "In the meantime, let's get you back to Fort Ryan so you can pick up your car." And he was out the door.

"It's a little unsettling to see the man you love like that, isn't it?" Clark's mother asked her.

"It's _very_ unsettling." She admitted.

"Lois, it's all part of the learning process of marriage. The first time you have to deal with a bad cold or a fever or the influenza is a worrisome thing. But you learn a lot about each other and it makes your relationship stronger for it."

"You'll call me if he isn't feeling better."

"I promise; now shoo." Mrs. Kent hugged her. "Have a nice evening with your father."

"I will." She said it, but wasn't quite sure if she believed it as she walked toward the door.

"And Lois?"

Lois stopped and turned around.

"Your father thinks you're a vision in your mother's dress." She said with a smile before she turned away and walked into the kitchen.

Her father thought she was a vision?

__

Would wonders never cease.


	42. Giving Thanks

A week after they applied for their marriage license, Clark got a call from the county courthouse in Granville to let him know that their application had been filed and that the license was ready to be picked up.

With that important piece of business taken care of, wedding plans seemed to move into high gear as Lois' father made sure that the chapel at Fort Ryan was booked and the officer's club was reserved for the reception.

Clark had decided against a tuxedo, which was fine with Lois. It was as much his day as hers she told him and didn't want him to wear something he wouldn't be comfortable in. Her mother's dress had gone to the dry cleaners and she had begun to move some of her things into his room, which was truly beginning to make it _their_ room.

There was one last thing that really _would_ make it theirs, and _that_ they'd decided to put off until their wedding night. It couldn't come fast enough for him and Lois' increasing impatience didn't help in the countdown to their wedding day.

The day before Thanksgiving was busy as it was every year and while Clark's mother was in the kitchen preparing for dinner, he and Lois were upstairs painting the bedroom. It didn't really need it, but Mom felt that since they were starting a new life together, the room should reflect that. She'd encouraged them to pick a color they could both agree on and decide if they wanted to change anything about the room they were going to share.

Clark tried to tell Lois to fix it up the way _she_ wanted, because it didn't matter to him one way or the other. As long as his day ended with her in his bed, that was all he cared about.

It was a little cold as they worked because the windows were opened just enough to provide ventilation from the paint fumes. He'd painted the ceiling while she'd gotten the trim and now they were finishing up the last two walls.

They'd decided to stay with the same color the room had been because while she liked Mom's idea of starting fresh, Lois had told him that she wanted the familiarity of the same shade.

That was fine by him.

The radio was on as they worked and further reports were coming in about a cruiser that was sunk off of Guadalcanal a couple of weeks earlier. It had shocked the hell out of him when it was first reported that five of the sailors serving together on the _USS Juneau _were brothers. And there was still no word on how many of the _Juneau_'s sailors had survived.

"I don't imagine that their parents are having a very happy Thanksgiving this year." Lois sighed as she kept painting, but the roller had slowed. "Five sons."

_Nice going, Clark. _He chastised himself as he walked to the radio and turned it off. "It's small comfort I know, but at least we're here together with my parents and tomorrow your dad will here_."_

She put the roller down on top of the paint can near her feet and when she turned around the thought came helplessly to his mind how much she looked like 'Rosie the Riveter'. Her hair was wrapped up in a faded kerchief, and she fairly swam in a pair of his father's old painter's coveralls.

"There isn't any chance that you'll be drafted, is there?" She looked worried and Clark thought he understood part of the reason she was so solemn and he shook his head.

"I'm twenty-eight and past draft age." He reassured her. "I _can_ volunteer, but the government feels the job that Federal agents do is as vital to the war effort as going overseas and they're discouraging the fellows from enlisting. But if they choose to go anyway, they've got the backing of the Bureau."

"Would you consider volunteering?" She pressed him and then sighed. "I wouldn't be against it if you _did_ want to go, after what the Japs did to us at Pearl Harbor."

"That was almost a year ago and ever since we beat them at Midway, they're on the run. They lost four carriers in that battle and they can't wage much of fight in the Pacific with what they've got left." He approached her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"President Roosevelt said that we all have our part to play in fighting this war and it doesn't necessarily mean putting on a uniform. But if I _did_ decide that I wanted to enlist, I would talk to you first before I made a decision."

It was Clark's turn to sigh in worry as a tear rolled down her cheek and he pulled her into his arms. "Dad's going to have to go, sooner or later."

"And what is it that he always says?" He asked her quietly. "'The Army is going to send me where they send me and then we'll deal with it.'" He felt her arms curl around his waist as she nodded. "So what do you say that you just enjoy spending tomorrow with your dad."

"What if he ships out before he can give me away?" He felt her start to shake and got the sense that she was trying not to cry. "It's the one thing he's been looking forward to." And then she made him smile when she managed an unsteady laugh. "That and more grandchildren."

"Well he's going to have to wait for us to start working on that for another month." He felt his face flush at the thought.

"Maybe not." She whispered in his ear.

"What?"

"We're legal, you know." Lois told him as she leaned back in his loose embrace; her eyes red rimmed from unshed tears. "According to that license, we're already married."

__

Nice try, Lois.

"No dice." He shook his head. "You know as well as I do all that license says is that we _can_ get married. We have to have a certificate signed by someone who has the authority to marry us to make it legal."

"You can't blame a girl for trying." She shrugged as she blinked the tears away.

"Honey; between your working and planning the wedding and my being away so much the next month will be gone before you know it." He couldn't help but grin. "And then you'll be stuck with me for the next fifty or sixty years."

"Only if you're _very_ nice to me." She smiled back and that got him to laugh.

__

He was going to love being married to her.

"I plan on being _very_ nice to you Lois." He pulled her close, having only one thing on his mind.

"That's good, because if you're not, you and that sofa are going to become very well acquainted again." She teased and he answered her with a kiss.

When she kissed him back, he should have anticipated that her hands would find their way under his tee shirt, but he didn't. And when she pressed herself into his kiss and began to caress his back, she very nearly got her way. If his mother hadn't shown up when she did, they might very well have christened the freshly painted bedroom.

"There's plenty of time for that _after_ you get married." He heard the lilt in his mother's voice as she tried to keep from laughing and Lois pulled self-consciously out of his arms.

"I _was_ painting until he distracted me." Clark smiled as she tried to explain, but only managed to sound defensive.

"And it was quite effective from where I was standing." And then she did laugh. "You're just about done, so finish up now. Dinner isn't going to be much, but we'll be done early enough so you can get home."

"You're really going to make me do it, aren't you?" She frowned.

"Lois, if you can learn to make your mother's apple turnovers you can certainly manage an apple pie." Mom soothed her. "And you can always call me if you run into trouble."

"Then you'd better keep the line open." Lois sighed and his mother laughed again.

"You're a better cook than you give yourself credit for."

"We'll see about that."

"Don't forget to put the pie on a cooling rack when you get it out of the oven." Mom reminded her as she turned around and started down the hall ignoring Lois' pessimistic tone.

"Sorry honey, you're not getting out of it." He kissed her cheek. "Try as you might."

"I know." She frowned again. "But in the meantime we have some painting to finish, so let's finish."

"Jeez, you're bossy." He raised his eyebrows at her. "Is this what I have to look forward to?"

"Among other things." She quirked an eyebrow in return and then blushed.

"Tell me again; whose idea it was to wait?"

"Yours."

"Damn." He smiled and laughed softly. "It figures."

oooooo

"Come on son; time to get up." Clark heard his father's voice coming from in front of the fireplace. "There are still some things to do before Lois and her father get here."

When he opened his eyes, Dad was stoking the fire. "What time is it?"

"It's just about seven." He answered.

"I don't suppose I need to ask if Mom is up yet." He sat up with a yawn and stretched

"I'm not sure if your mother came to bed last night." His father answered with a chuckle. "If she did, I didn't hear her come in. And she was already in the kitchen when I got downstairs this morning."

"She asked me to put the bedroom back together first thing and get all the tarps and paint cans out to the shed." Clark told his father. "I can take care of some of the chores while I'm out there, if you want me to."

"Try as I might I can't seem be able to get the farmer out of you, can I?" Dad joked with a sigh and conceded. "If you'll take care of the morning milking, put fresh hay in the stalls and feed the horses that would be a big help."

"Sure thing Dad." He grinned sleepily.

"And don't think you're going to make a habit of this." They said it together and then his father laughed. "Who knew your mother and I would raise such a smart aleck? If you wouldn't mind taking care of that before you get to the bedroom, I'll tell your mother I asked."

"I don't mind, you know that."

"I know you don't son and I do appreciate it." He smiled as he shook his head and walked out to the kitchen. "There's a fresh pot of coffee on the stove if you'd like some."

"I think I'm going to need it." He said almost to himself and wondered if at heart, he would always feel like a farmer. He'd gotten opportunities to travel the country as a FBI agent and was grateful for them, but his parent's farm was where he felt at home.

And it was where he and Lois were going to make _their_ home.

They'd talked about it, about where they would live after they got married and Lois had told him that his parents had invited them to stay on at the farm. He liked the idea because it would give Mom the chance to have another woman around and Lois wouldn't have to be by herself when Clark got sent out on assignment.

He thought about that as he took his bedding and a cup of coffee upstairs. He put the bedding away before he got dressed and when he got back downstairs and stepped outside, his breath clouded in the cold air. As he walked toward the barn he noticed not only fresh snow on the ground, but that light flakes were starting to descend.

It was going to get colder as the day went on, so he made short work of his brief list of chores. He walked back to the house and stomped the snow off the bottom of his boots after he stepped up on the service porch and before he walked into the kitchen.

Mom was checking on the turkey in the oven as he stopped at the stove and poured himself a cup of coffee. "It's starting to snow again."

"I think we should probably call Lois and Sam and have them come out earlier." His mother looked out the kitchen window as she stood at the sink.

"We might ask them to plan on them staying overnight." Dad added as he walked in from the parlor. "It doesn't look like it's going to let up and it's not going to be safe for them to drive these roads after dark."

O_vernight? _A month before their wedding?

His thoughts must have been reflected on his face because his father laughed. "It's only one night."

"Easy for _you_ to say." He grinned as he headed for the kitchen stairs.

"Your suit is in our room when you get out of the shower." Mom called after him.

"Thanks Mom." He called back as he walked upstairs and to his room. He opened the door and it felt like an icebox when he stepped inside, but the paint smell wasn't as bad as it had been the night before.

He folded up the tarps and stacked the paint cans by the door before he wrestled the furniture back into place. He couldn't help but smile because even with the lingering scent of paint, he could just detect the faint scent of lilacs.

Of course, that could have just been his imagination.

He closed the windows and his room looked as it had before they painted, but he also knew that Lois had only just gotten started on redoing the room.

Clark carried the tarps and paint cans downstairs to the kitchen. His mother was on the telephone and his father looked as though he was trying not to laugh. "Honey, it's only one night."

He caught Dad's eye and his father grinned. "The next time she's in this house overnight, you won't have to worry about it."

"I'm counting the days." Clark admitted with a wry smile.

"Believe me son, I know." Dad nodded in understanding. "It won't be long now."

"I'm going out to the shed, is there anything else you need me to do?" He asked; knowing his father would refuse.

"You've done enough today Clark, thank you. I think the best thing you can do now is get cleaned up and into your suit. Then while you're helping your mother, I can get ready."

"Sure thing Dad." He nodded and buttoned up his jacket before going back outside.

It didn't take him long after getting back to the house to get upstairs and showered. While he was in his room getting dressed, he heard his father come up and he headed back down with his suit coat over his arm.

He dropped it on the back of the sofa and found his mother at the sink. Again or still, he wasn't completely sure.

"Is your dad upstairs?" She asked.

Clark nodded. "I heard him go into the bathroom while I was in my room."

"Lois and her father are going to be staying for the night." Mom said as she turned to face him. "It took some doing to talk her into it, so I shouldn't have to remind you that your room is off limits after she goes to bed. Make sure that you have whatever it is you need for the night so you don't find yourself having to go in there."

"I know Mom." He nodded in agreement.

"Things are different between you two and I know I don't need to remind you of that. But I also know what a temptation it is for the both of you to be under the same roof again. Am I making myself clear?"

He could have made a joke about her concern, but Clark knew she wouldn't appreciate his attempt at levity, so he nodded.

"I know the last few weeks before a wedding can be difficult and being in such close quarters overnight can't help things." She sighed. "I just feel that as your mother, I need to remind you."

"You can trust us Mom and you have my word that nothing will happen." He promised her, knowing that Lois would back him up.

The front doorbell rang then and his mother looked at her watch. "They're here. Would you let them in and I'll tell your father."

"Sure Mom." He assured her as she took the kitchen stairs and he walked through the parlor to the front door. Lois was standing on the porch with a covered pie plate in her hands, looking tired and the General was standing behind her looking amused.

"Happy Thanksgiving." They said to each other as Clark urged them into the house and closed the door behind them.

"It's gotten colder out there." He commented and held out his hand to Lois. "Let me take that off your hands and you can warm up by the fire."

She handed it to him and the General helped her with her coat as Clark turned for the kitchen. "I'll put this in the pie warmer."

"It feels as though it dropped ten degrees in the last hour." Lois commented as he put the pie into the oven warmer before he walked back out the parlor, picked up his suit coat from the sofa and shrugged into it.

"It probably has." He told her as he joined them by the fire and Lois rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't you know that you're supposed to finish dressing _before_ your guests get here?" And she stepped in front of him to button his collar and tie his tie. "I know your mother raised you better than that."

"If you had been guests, I _would_ have." He teased her. "But since we're getting married in a month, you're practically family. So the rules are a little different."

"Says you." She pushed his tie into place under the collar and patted it. "That's better."

"Thank you honey." He grinned as he buttoned up his jacket and she rolled her eyes again. "Mom just made some fresh coffee if you'd like some."

"Well since we're practically family, I'll help myself if you don't mind." The General smiled at him and seemed to be holding back a laugh. "You two stay here by the fire." And he left them alone.

"You do realize that somewhere fate is laughing at us." Lois sighed and there was a soft laugh from the kitchen. "Otherwise known as my dad."

"It's going to be fine." He tried to reassure not only her, but himself as well and he couldn't seem to help but smile. "It'll be nice to dream about you knowing you'll be upstairs tonight."

"If _you_ were upstairs, it would be even nicer." She sighed again.

"That goes without saying." And he gave her a brief kiss. "In another month, it will be a moot point."

"Thirty days."

"Give or take." He smiled at her as he took her hand and walked her toward the kitchen. "Let's get you some coffee."

His parents were coming down the kitchen stairs as he and Lois walked in and they wished her and General Lane a happy Thanksgiving.

"Everything is just about ready." Mom announced as she checked the pots she had on the stove. "Jonathan, if you would check the turkey again I'll have everyone move out to the parlor so we can have some coffee."

"All right." He nodded as she put cups, saucers, spoons, sugar and cream on a tray. She asked Clark to bring in the coffeepot and walked back out the parlor. He followed her with the pot and a hot pad and set it down on the coffee table.

They'd settled on the sofa and the overstuffed chair before Dad joined them.

As they talked about war news, wedding plans and the General shipping out; something that made Lois' eyes tear, the doorbell rang and Clark got up to answer it.

Lionel Luthor?

"I'm sorry to disturb you and your family, but I was wondering if Lois was here." He asked as Clark urged him to come in and Lois walked out from the parlor as he closed the door. "Very good, you _are_ here. I can't stay long because I have a club full of employees coming for dinner. Many of them couldn't go home because of distances they needed to travel, but I couldn't see them missing out on a Thanksgiving dinner because of it."

"That was a nice thing for you to do, Lionel." Lois smiled at him. "I know how much they appreciate it."

"Nice has nothing to do with it Lois, it's something Lillian would have done; so I'm doing this in her memory as much as anything." He brushed off her praise.

"It's still nice." She persisted.

"The reason I'm here is very simple." Mr. Luthor cut to the chase. "You're getting married in about a month, aren't you?"

She nodded. "You're still coming aren't you?"

"Of course, my dear. I'm not here to tell you any different." He smiled at her. "The reason I mention it is this. I realize that most women give up their careers when they marry to stay home and take care of their husband. But with the nature of Agent Kent's job, he'll be gone quite frequently, won't he?"

Clark wasn't sure where the conversation was leading and when Lois glanced at him with a curious frown, he knew she didn't either.

"My apologies, I'm not making myself very clear." He looked embarrassed. "Were you planning on continuing on at the _Falcon_ after you got married?"

"With Clark away so much we agreed that if I wanted to, I could. Why do you ask?"

"It occurs to me that as a married woman, it would be more appropriate if you didn't sing anymore."

__

Mr. Luthor, those are fighting words.

Clark could see Lois stiffen and knew she wanted to say something, but chose not to_._

"I seem to be putting my foot in my mouth without intending to." He sighed, as he seemed to realize his gaff. "What I'm trying so badly to get at is to tell you that I've taken back control of the Luthor holdings from my son. I'm going to retire and travel a bit. I've never had the opportunity to travel, just to travel and I'd like to do that while I can.

"I've put capable people in charge of most of the clubs I own and replaced the members of the board of directors with people I know I can trust. And it's why I want _you_ to take over running the _Falcon_."

"Me?" Lois' voice was faint because he knew she didn't see that coming.

__

That's my girl.

He smiled with pride that Lionel Luthor had such confidence in her_._

"I don't know anything about running a club." She frowned.

"Don't fool yourself." He shook his head. "You know that club inside and out, whether you realize it or not and everyone there trusts you. I've noticed how you've always asked questions because you're curious about how the operation works. You follow the bartender around when he inventories the liquor and watch what the cook is doing when he's in the kitchen.

"I've shown you what goes into doing an inventory for the supplies we need and when to order. And how many times have you helped me with the ledgers when something didn't balance out?

"You can do this, I know you can; but I also understand that you need to think about it and talk it over with your fiancé. So if I give you a week to mull over my proposition, would that give you enough time to make a decision?"

"I wouldn't have to sing anymore?"

"That would be up to the two of you." He conceded.

Clark felt Lois slip her hand into his and grasp it tightly; she was scared. But he knew she could do it if she really wanted to and squeezed back to tell her that.

"A week is fair." She took a breath and let it out. "I'll let you know by then."

"Very good." Mr. Luthor glanced at his wristwatch. "I need to be going now. Don't want that turkey to get cold."

"Thank you, Lionel." Lois stepped forward and hugged him.

"You're welcome, my dear." He seemed flustered at her gratitude. "You'll be a valuable asset if you decide to take the job." He added as he opened the door and stepped outside before closing it again.

"Well hell, Lo." General Lane laughed as he lit a cigar. "What do you know about that?"

"Congratulations honey." Mom smiled at her as they walked back into the parlor. "Mr. Luthor obviously thinks a lot of you."

"And I wouldn't have to sing any more." She smiled. "I could actually have a job where I could be home at night."

"_I'd_ like that." Clark quipped as they took their seats together on the sofa.

"Lois, if you ever need help with the books; I can help you with that." Dad offered. "It never hurts to have a second pair of eyes check your work. Martha's done it for me many times over the years."

"Thanks Mr. Kent. I'll remember that." Lois put her cheek on Clark's shoulder. "I guess I have something else to be thankful for this year."

"I'd say we all do Lois." His mother nodded. "We're here, together and have the blessings of a family who loves us."

She nodded and Clark tried to catch her eye. "So are you going to take the job?"

"I think that I'd like to spend Thanksgiving with you and then start thinking about that tomorrow." She told him.

"Fair enough." He answered.

"Do you _think_ I should take it?" She couldn't seem to help but ask as she sat up and looked at him.

"I think you need to do what will make you happy." Clark told her. "And if you think this job will make you happy, then I think you need to seriously consider Mr. Luthor's offer."

"You're a big help." She laughed.

"If you're looking for me to talk you out of it or tell you that you can't, I'm not going to do it." He took Lois' hand in his and caught her eye again. "I think it's a swell opportunity for you and I think you'd do a great job."

"What about kids?" She frowned at him. "What happens when we start having kids?"

__

He liked that idea.

"Then that's something you need to talk about with him." He shrugged as his face warmed at the thought. "Because it would be up to you how you wanted to handle that."

All she did was sigh.

"Lois, we have plenty of time to think about this and make a decision." He tried to reassure her. "So let's put this off until tomorrow and just enjoy being together today."

"You really think I can do this?"

"I _know _you can do this."

"How do you know?" She pressed him, not ready to drop the subject.

"Because you can do anything you set your mind to, _that's_ how I know."

"Says you."

"Says me." He laughed and then kissed her cheek.

"I'll think about it." She finally said. "Tomorrow."

"Good."

A companionable silence fell over the familial group as Clark's mother filled the cups and passed them around. Then as she took a sip from her cup she smiled at her future daughter in law.

"So Lois, did you remember to bring the pie?"


	43. Their Best Days are Ahead

"It's a good thing you're getting married tomorrow." Mrs. Kent laughed as she inspected Lois, standing in what was to become her bedroom, in her mother's wedding dress. "I'm going to have to take the dress in again. So would you please do me a favor and eat a full meal at your father's tonight so that I won't have to do a last minute alteration tomorrow morning?"

"How can I eat if I'm not hungry?" She smiled. "I'm getting married tomorrow."

"And it's going to be a long day for you too, so you really need to eat something." She advised as she carefully put a pin in the waistline to mark where she needed to take the dress in. "Your father called us this morning to say that your sister wasn't going to be here to be your matron of honor."

"I talked to her last night." Lois sighed with a nod to confirm it. "Andrew came down with the flu a couple of days ago. Lucy and the baby are fine, but she's worried that they might be contagious so she told me they were going to stay put; just to be on the safe side."

"I _was_ sorry to hear that. But surely there's someone that you're close to, to ask?" She wondered.

Actually, Lois had the perfect candidate. "I've been thinking about that all day and there's only one person I can think of."

"Who would that be?" She asked curiously.

"Well, since Clark asked Mr. Kent to stand up with him as his best man, I thought I would ask you to stand up with me as my matron of honor."

"Oh." Clark's mother looked at her and a blush was spreading across her cheeks.

"I can't think of a nicer way for us to share our day than to have the two of you stand up with us after Dad gives me away." She felt her own face warm when it looked as though Mrs. Kent was going to cry. "But if you'd rather not."

Lois never had the chance to finish because she grasped her hand. "Lois I would be honored, thank you." And she let go so she could stand back and take another look. "It would have been nice if your mother could have been here."

"I've been thinking about that too." Lois told her. "All of these wonderful things have been happening to me since I met Clark and I'm glad that I've been able to share it with the General, but it would have been nice to share it with my mother too."

"Honey, as long as you're thinking about her, you are." Mrs. Kent smiled at her and began to undo the back of the dress. "Now as carefully as you can, step out of the dress so I can take it into my room. The dress form is set up in there so I can work on it tonight."

"We can leave it in here. Clark won't see it."

"Didn't you say you had a few things to move over here this afternoon from your apartment?" She cautioned. "I don't consider myself a superstitious woman, but my only child is getting married tomorrow and I'd rather not take any chances."

"If it would make you feel better, than you can take it." Lois stepped out of the dress and her hands were shaking. The next time the dress came off, it would be on her wedding night.

"What are you thinking about?" Mrs. Kent draped the dress over her arm and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Lois couldn't find the words to voice what she was on her mind and shook her head.

"Things are going to change after tomorrow." She coaxed. "You'll be living with Clark in a way you haven't before and the adjustment takes time. You'll be learning things about each other in all aspects of your marriage and that includes the bedroom."

__

She did not just say that.

"If that was too personal than tell me so and I won't say any more." Clark's mother turned for the door, seeming to realize what she'd said.

"It's not that." Lois stepped into her dress and followed her to put a hand on her arm. "It just feels a little strange to be talking to my fiancé's mother about our married life."

"I know it does." She nodded. "Because it feels a little odd to be talking to my son's fiancée about something you should have had the opportunity to talk to your mother with. But since she isn't here, I thought maybe I would do."

__

Just tell her, she'll understand.

"We've never done before what we're going to do tomorrow night." She tried to put it as delicately as she could as Clark's mother turned her around and pulled the zipper up. "And to be perfectly honest, I'm tired of waiting."

Mrs. Kent laughed as Lois turned back around to face her. "The night before the wedding is probably the most difficult to get through. You're spending the whole evening together because of the wedding rehearsal and dinner afterward, and then you have to say goodnight until he sees you walking down the aisle on your father's arm the next day."

"Would you mind if I asked you a personal question?"

"We waited." She answered Lois' unasked question and her faced turned red. "Times were different then and there was no question about waiting. Young people now don't always do that which means that they don't always wait for the right person.

"I think one of the reason's that you waited until now is that you both wanted to know in your hearts that what you had was going to be for a lifetime. After tomorrow, you'll have that lifetime with him and any question of wanting to be with him won't matter." She scooped up the dress into her arms and stood.

"Lois, why don't you bundle up and go for a walk. You've been cooped up in the house all morning trying to get the bedroom done and putting up with another fitting. It might help if you got some fresh air and put aside those feelings of frustration."

Lois glanced out the window as she changed her shoes. "I hope it stays clear. The forecast earlier called for more snow tonight and all day tomorrow."

"I think snow on your wedding day sounds romantic, don't you?" She smiled. "In some cultures, snow on a wedding day is considered good luck."

"Well considering that he's marrying a Lane, he's going to need it." She couldn't help but smile back, but her future mother in law gave her a disapproving frown and shook her head.

"Lois."

"I guess if my mother could marry one and be happy, so can Clark." Lois laughed and Mrs. Kent did too.

"I should scold you for that. But I know that _you_ know how much Clark loves you and I know how much you love him."

"Dad worried for a long time that I wouldn't find anyone to settle down with." Lois admitted to her. "And to be perfectly honest, I'd stopped looking because I knew I wouldn't find the right man in a place like the _Falcon_."

"It's rather ironic then that you met the man you were going to marry in that club."

"And even more ironically, a club I'll be managing when we get back from our honeymoon." She shook her head in disbelief. "This is all because of Clark."

"Not all of it." Mrs. Kent disagreed. "Mr. Luthor recognized the fact that you could run his club before you ever met Clark and if he'd had control of the _Falcon_ sooner, I don't doubt you would have taken over much sooner."

"Maybe." She shrugged and Mrs. Kent scolded her again.

"Lois."

And all she did was laugh.

"I think a walk sounds like a great idea." Lois conceded. "I've gone over my checklist and it looks like everything is taken care of."

"And as long as there aren't any last minute alterations, we should be fine." She teased.

"I'll eat, I promise."

"That's all a mother can ask." Mrs. Kent patted her cheek and then walked out of the bedroom. "Go outside."

Lois stood up and followed her to the door. She turned to take another look at the bedroom and it finally looked the way she wanted it to. The furniture was the same, except that Clark's old desk had been taken out to make more room and she'd refinished the other pieces, including the headboard and footboard of the bed. He'd teased her that it once again put him on the sofa, but without the benefit of her being there.

The color of the walls hadn't changed, but she'd wallpapered one of the walls with a soft floral pattern to add a feminine touch for her, but accented with more neutral colors for him so he wouldn't feel like a stranger in his own room.

He'd told her time and again that he didn't care, but _she_ did and made sure that he felt comfortable with the choices she was making.

"The room is fine Lois, go outside." She laughed as she heard Clark's mother call from her room to admonish her again.

"I'm going, I'm going." She promised as she headed down the hall and down the stairs to the front door. As she stopped at the coat rack, she couldn't help but marvel at the fact that the farm was going to be her home after tomorrow and she couldn't wait.

She covered her head with her scarf and wrapped it around her neck, got her coat on and opened the door. She stepped outside and took an involuntary breath because it was so cold. It came out in a light cloud as she slipped her hands into her gloves and began to walk.

The farm was such a peaceful place to be and she sometimes forgot that the country was at war. Rationing was something she'd adjusted to, the hardest adjustment being coffee a month earlier but she understood why, and didn't really mind.

She wasn't exactly sure why walked toward the barn, until she saw Clark.

He was doing the afternoon milking and to look at him, she would have thought that he did it every day. He seemed to sense that someone had come in and when he looked over his shoulder, smiled when he saw her. "What is it with us and the barn?"

"I thought it was the porch." She smiled back at him.

"That too." He agreed as he continued to milk. "Grab a stool and have a seat."

"You're not going to make me take over, are you?" She was dubious.

"No." He shook his head. "It'll just make it easier for us to talk."

"Fair enough." Lois conceded and got a stool to sit down next to him.

"So what are you doing out here on such a cold day?"

"Your mother told me to go for a walk." She sighed and he laughed softly before he leaned toward her and kissed her. "She says it's the jitters."

"Dad sent me out here because he knows that I don't have them and that's making _him_ nervous."

"That's all right, I've got enough for the both of us." She ran a light hand through his hair and she saw him smile. "Just think, tomorrow about this time we'll be at Fort Ryan getting married."

"And don't think I'm not counting the hours." She saw his face flush. "So much has happened to us in such a short period of time that I have a hard time believing it sometimes."

"Me too." She nodded. "I just get the feeling sometimes that this is a wonderful dream that I'm going to wake up from only to realize that none of it ever happened."

"It's called being happy Lois." He leaned over and kissed her again. "If you'd just let yourself feel it and not be afraid of it, then you'd know why I'm not nervous."

"I love you." She didn't know why she felt the need to tell him, but she did.

"I know you do and I love you too." He assured her as he sat up. "If you want to start walking, I'll catch up with you after I get the milk to the house."

"Okay." She agreed. "I'll head out toward the back forty."

"I won't be long." He promised as he stood up and grabbed the milk pail. "But if it gets too cold, don't wait for me, just come on back."

"Yes Dad." She leaned up and kissed him. "I know the drill."

"And you call _me_ a smart aleck." He grinned at her and headed toward the house.

She was going to love being married to him.

oooooo

The final rehearsal went off without a hitch and the Lane and Kent families gathered at the General's quarters afterward for dinner.

As they worked their way through the meal, Lois noticed that her father kept looking at his watch and then would glance toward the telephone. It was obvious to her that he was expecting a call, but she had no idea what it could be.

When they finished, Clark's parents insisted on helping to clear the table and sent their children out to the living room. "Dad's up to something."

"What would make you say that?"

"Did you notice how he kept looking at his watch?"

He nodded. "But you said that he was on alert, so that's what the call might be about."

"That call isn't supposed to come until _after_ Christmas." Lois shook her head.

"And how many times have you told me that the Army does things on it's own schedule? Which means that call _could_ be the order to ship out."

She shook her head again. "He's not shipping out until he gives me away."

He knew better than to try and argue with her about that because he wasn't going to win, so he just nodded.

And when the telephone finally did ring she saw a smile cross her father's face, though he tried to hide it. "I'm going to take this in the bedroom. Lo, would you do me a favor and serve the coffee? And don't wait for me." He added as he rushed down the hall to his room and closed the door behind him.

"Honey, I can get that." Mrs. Kent offered.

"Thanks, but I know where everything is. So if you'll make yourselves comfortable in the living room, Clark can help me bring out the coffee."

"Yes dear." He grinned at her as he followed her into the kitchen.

Lois rolled her eyes as his parents laughed and left them alone. "Just remember one word, sofa."

"We'll see." His grin got wider as Lois loaded the tray and Clark got the coffeepot from the stove.

They settled in the living room and she began to pour coffee into the cups and pass them around, all the while glancing back toward her father's room as they began to talk about the wedding.

The Army wouldn't ship him out now, would they?

She was answering Mrs. Kent's question about the poinsettia arrangements for the chapel when she heard her father's door open. He couldn't be shipping out; otherwise he wouldn't be looking so pleased with himself as he walked into the living room. But he didn't seem to be in any hurry to volunteer the information.

"Is everything all right, Dad?"

"Everything is going according to schedule." He told her as he sat down and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"What schedule is that?" He had her curious.

"I'm not answering any questions." The General told her and Lois knew it would be useless to try and pry an answer out of him. Her father could be a veritable clam when he wanted to be.

"Yes sir." She answered and he laughed.

"Patience _is_ a virtue."

"I know." She replied and he laughed again.

"And you also know a couple of people who are getting married tomorrow and it's nearly nine o'clock." He reminded her and then looked at Clark. "Son, would you do me a favor and drive Lois back to the farm?"

"I thought she was going back with my parents." He suddenly looked nervous.

"And you're still staying here. But there's something I need to discuss with the parents of the groom, as the father of the bride. You don't mind, do you?"

_Here's your hat, what's your hurry_.Lois couldn't help but think.

Clark glanced at her and she knew why he was nervous; they would be alone, the night before their wedding.

"Would it matter if I did?" He asked and the General shook his head.

"No." He was succinct as he stood up to emphasize his point.

"Then I guess I'm driving Lois home."

_Home_,she liked the sound of that.

Clark stood up and looked at Lois's father. "I won't be long."

"I know." Lois wouldn't have been surprised if her father started a timer from the moment they drove away from house to the moment he parked in front again.

She shouldn't have felt like laughing, but she did. She _should_ have been annoyed because her father was audacious enough to try and guard her virtue until her wedding night, because he didn't know Clark.

If he did, he wouldn't have been concerned.

"Well Lo, the next time I see you I'll be walking you down the aisle." His smile was a little shaky before he put his arms around her and held her. "It'll be one of the happiest days of my life."

__

She knew what was coming next.

"Grandchildren will be the second." And his laugh was gentle.

__

That was it.

"Dad."

"Sweet dreams." He kissed her cheek and let her go. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Daddy." She kissed his cheek in return before she hugged him tight. "I love you."

"I love you too honey." He hugged her back and cleared his throat before he let her go, ushering them toward the front door. "Get going now, it's supposed to start snowing again."

He stood as a sentinel as Clark helped Lois with her coat before he donned his own and opened the door while she put her hat on and secured it. Dad crowded them out to the porch and closed the door behind them. "Clark, he's up to something, I know it."

"Well he obviously doesn't want us to know what it is." He reasoned as he put his own hat on before took her hand and walked with her to his car.

"Do you think it could be a wedding present?" She wondered.

He shrugged. "He said everything was on schedule and wanted to talk to my parents, so it stands to reason that's what it could be."

"Aren't you in the least bit curious?" She tugged on his hand as they reached the car and he opened her door and that got him to laugh.

"Honey, I think you're curious enough for the both of us."

He got her settled in the car and closed her door. When he opened his own door and got in, Lois scoot over to sit next to him and she smiled at his bemused look. "Humor me, it's cold."

"I don't mind, as long as that's all you're expecting." He forewarned her as he started the car and drove away from her father's house.

"Who said that I'm expecting anything?" Lois asked innocently and put her cheek on his arm. She then felt that arm curl around her shoulders as he pulled her closer and drove off the base toward Smallville.

"Because you've only been dropping hints for the last two weeks and it's not going to happen." He shook his head for emphasis. "I'm letting you off next to the house and I'll see you tomorrow."

Lois knew he was serious and decided not to press the matter. So they drove in silence the rest of the way, the only noise coming from the car radio. _The Pepsodent Show_ was on and Bob Hope was broadcasting from Casper Field in Wyoming.

Every week he broadcast his show from another military base, entertaining the boys who were stationed there, many of who were getting ready to go overseas. She'd actually had the chance to see him when he came to Fort Ryan in June.

She sat with Dad as Mr. Hope went through his weekly routine of comedy and music with singers, dancers and of course Jerry Colonna. Frances Langford was a guest on his show that week and it was a thrill to see her. She'd been one of Lois's singing idols for years and she had always lamented that she didn't have the voice Miss Langford did.

But getting to meet all of them after the show was over was even better. It was one of those special days that she would never forget; only her wedding day would top that.

She felt a gentle shake on her shoulders and she looked up at Clark, who was looking really amused. "I lost you there for awhile. You're home."

She glanced out the front windshield and sure enough, there was the house.

"This is the moment where you're supposed to open your door and get out of the car so I can get back to Fort Ryan." He teased. "Otherwise, your father will send a military escort to come get me."

"Would you at least walk me to the door?" She asked and as she expected, he shook his head.

"You know your way."

"But it's dark and I might trip on a rock, or Shelby." She couldn't help but add and to her relief, he laughed.

"That dog does seem to have a knack for getting underfoot." He sighed in resignation as he turned the key in the ignition, shutting the engine down. "I'll walk you to the door so you won't trip on Shelby, because I'd rather you not sprain your ankle the night before we get married."

He opened his door and got out before he closed it again, while Lois waited for him. She watched him as he came around the front of the car and opened her door, holding out his hand to her to help her out. He didn't let her go as he closed the door with his free hand and walked her up the path and to the porch. Snow was beginning to fall again and he grinned. "I hope we don't have a blizzard."

"As long as it's _after_ we get married, I don't care." She stepped close to him and tried to catch his eye, but he refused. "Do you?"

"Lois." She saw him swallow nervously because he knew what she was attempting to do, and he wasn't about to let her. "It's not long now."

"Would you at least build a fire?" Lois asked him. "That bed's going to be awfully cold tonight because I have to sleep in it by myself."

"I'm going to tell your father if you don't cut it out." And then he began to laugh.

"Tell him what?" She smiled up at him. "That I've decided to try to seduce my fiancé the night before we get married?"

"Is _that _what you're trying to do?" He got his arms around her and pulled her as close as he could. "I thought all you wanted was a fire."

"There _is_ more than one way to build one, you know." She told him as she grasped his arms and pulled herself up, pressing her lips against his to try and persuade him.

"There's only one kind of fire I'll build for you tonight and the other will have to wait until tomorrow night." He insisted as he set her away from him and took a deep breath. He opened the front door and waited for her to walk in ahead of him before he closed it behind them.

She took off her hat and hung it up before she felt Clark's hands on her shoulders as he helped her off with her coat and leaned close to her ear. "I promise to make it worth the wait."

He let her go before she could respond and walked into the parlor as Lois followed him to turn on the floor lamp and the Christmas tree lights. He kept his hat and overcoat on, telling her very clearly that he was leaving as soon as possible and she sighed.

Was it so terrible that she wanted to be with the man she loved less than twenty-four hours before they were going to tie the knot? Was she such a wanton woman that she wanted to warm their bed with his help a night earlier than they'd planned?

__

Would it be so terrible?

Lois' problem was that she was thinking about it too much and not acting on it. So she decided to stop thinking and let her heart tell her what to do. And her heart wanted him, very much.

He knew very clearly what she wanted and could see by his nervous motion that he was trying to hurry and get the fire going. Which meant that she didn't have a lot of time.

He wouldn't turn her down, _would he?_

It was a meager fire but she knew by the way he built it that it would catch and not go out, so he turned to leave and came face to face with her. If she played her cards right, Clark wasn't going to be leaving just yet.

She grasped the brim of his hat and pulled it off, tossing it on the coffee table. He looked startled at her action, but made no attempt to move as she stood in front of him. She glanced up at his face as she undid the buttons of his coat and his hands started to move up to stop her, but then dropped again.

She pushed the coat off of his shoulders and he sighed as he shrugged out of it and tossed it on the sofa. He wasn't exactly helping her, but he still wasn't stopping her either.

And because he wasn't stopping her, Lois went to work on his suit coat. He did stop her then and when she looked up at him again, his look was intense as he swallowed. He sighed again as he held her hands to keep them from moving. "Are you sure about this? I can wait."

She shook her head. "I don't want to."

"It's not much longer." She understood that he was giving her the chance to change her mind, but she wasn't going to and pulled her hands out of his gentle grasp.

"It's too long." Lois pushed Clark's hands out of the way and finished unbuttoning his coat. She pushed it open and stepped in close to him, resting her hands on his chest. After a long moment, his arms closed around her and she felt him hesitate, weighing what he was about to do when he kissed her.

He kept the contact light and she suspected that he was trying to appease her. But she didn't want to be appeased, she wanted _him_. And she was going to do what she had to, to get what she wanted.

It was ironic, really when her hands moved up to grasp his tie and loosen it because it was usually the other way around. He was aware of what she was doing because she heard a quick breath of surprise, but he didn't stop her and kept kissing her.

Lois tried to keep him focused on that as she unknotted his tie. Her fingers found his collar button and undid it and it was that action that got Clark to pull away enough to look at her. She couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking because so many emotions were crossing his face. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

He gave her one last opportunity and she nodded.

He nodded in return before he got an arm around her back and another behind her knees and picked her up. "If we're really going to go through with it, it's not going to be down here."

__

She knew it wouldn't.

She put a hand on his cheek as he carried her out of the parlor because she wanted him to understand something. "I love you. We wouldn't be doing this if I didn't."

"Lois, we wouldn't be getting married if you didn't." He smiled at her as he kissed her and then continued to drop soft kisses on her lips as he carried her up the stairs to their room. "I love you too." He seemed to feel the need to tell her that as he walked into the bedroom and set her on her feet.

The room was dark, except for the soft light coming from the hallway as they stood in front of each other, knowing what to do but uncertain on how to go about it.

__

Who should go first?

It _should _have been her since it was her idea butClark made the first move.

She saw a ghost of a smile cross his face as he took her arms, put them around his neck and pulled her close as he leaned over and kissed her. There was no appeasement in his kiss this time and her knees started to shake from the passion of his lips caressing hers, insisting she respond.

When she did, he deepened his kiss and her knees gave out entirely. He tightened his arm around her waist to hold her securely against him and it was in that action that she understood without any doubt in her mind that she was closer to getting what she wanted than she could have hoped.

And knowing that, she got her arms from around his neck to wedge them in between their bodies so that she could finish loosening his tie and undoing the rest of the buttons of his shirt. As she was doing that, she felt his hand as it skimmed up her back and found the zipper of her dress. He pulled on it and Lois didn't know what had her attention more, the warmth of his soft, damp lips on hers or the fact that there was a sudden cold draft against her back.

It didn't really matter as she pushed the shirt off of his shoulders and he let go of her long enough for it to drop to the floor and she dropped her arms so her dress could follow. She stepped out of the dress and her shoes and didn't have time to register the fact that she was now standing in front of him in nothing but her slip and stockings, before his arms were around her again.

She put her arms back around his neck and his lips unerringly found hers before she felt her feet leave the floor as he picked her up and carried her toward the bed. She felt the floor underneath her again as the cold floor came in contact with her feet and then the unthinkable happened.

Clark balked and set her away from him.

"Lois we need to wait, please." He was shaking so badly as he held her by her arms and Lois couldn't tell if it was because he was really nervous or extremely frustrated.

"Why?" She balled up her fists, frustrated herself that he was actually going to deny her; deny them. She seriously thought about slapping him for working her into such a state and out of her dress; but it wouldn't have been fair since it _was_ her idea. "We're getting married tomorrow, so why not?"

"We can't do this, not like this." He shook his head as he turned away from her and picked up his discarded shirt and tie from the floor. As he slipped his arms in to the sleeves and put the tie around his neck, he seemed to be having a hard time catching his breath. When he turned back around, his face was flushed in a way she'd never seen before as he buttoned up the front. She picked up her dress as he did that and stepped into it, putting her arms through the sleeves.

"I don't drop my dress for just anybody, you know." She frowned at him, annoyed that he'd stopped something she'd been thinking about since the day he kissed her in the barn, the morning after he came home.

"And I don't expect just any girl to drop her dress, either." Clark turned her around and pulled the zipper up, then turned her back to face him.

__

Were they really going to argue about this?

He looked as though he were considering his words and not wanting to say the wrong thing. He took a deep breath and sighed, and then said nothing. "I can explain, but you need to put your shoes back on and meet me down in the parlor. I can't think straight in here."

Clark walked out of the bedroom and left Lois, very confused and on the verge of feeling utterly humiliated. _He'd turned her down._

She blinked a few times, to stop the tears she felt coming. _He'd turned her down._

She shoved her feet into her shoes before she walked to the dresser and picked up a hairbrush. She yanked it through her hair and then powdered her face and felt as though she was destroying the evidence of their near lovemaking when she applied fresh lipstick.

She took a deep breath to try and get her rapid heart to slow and as it did, she knew in her heart that he hadn't turned her down, not really. He just wanted the time to be right, and for reasons she didn't understand, the night before their wedding wasn't.

He'd tried to tell her that, but she didn't want to hear.

When she went downstairs and walked into the parlor he looked, for all intent and purposes as though nothing passionate had occurred between them. His shirt was tucked back in; his tie knotted neatly just under his buttoned collar and his suit jacket buttoned up as well.

"If you want to throw something at me, I completely understand." He managed to say after clearing his throat. "Things got out of hand and it wasn't what I intended."

She nodded. "I know, it was what _I_ intended."

"I know." He told her. "And I seriously considered going through with it, but I had to make a decision right then and there about what we were doing."

"Which you obviously did." Lois felt her own face warm and tried not to think about _why_ he would stop it, but she did anyway. "Why _did_ you?"

Clark walked to her and held out his hand. She took it, without hesitation as he led her to the sofa and he sat down next to her.

"When we were up there and I had you in my arms, knowing what we were about to do I knew that I'd much rather you be my wife. Lois honey, we've waited this long and I can wait another twenty-four hours."

"But I don't want to." What did it matter now, they were practically married.

"I know." He tried to hide a smile, but didn't quite manage it. "But how would you feel if my parents came home and found us together like that?"

__

He was right.

She hated to admit it, but he was.

"You need to go." She finally said on a sigh. "And don't you dare tell me that we'll laugh about this tomorrow."

"I wouldn't dream of it." He assured her as his face flushed. "Because I think we'll be too preoccupied to even mention it."

"I'll make sure of it."

"I'm counting on it." He said as he picked up his coat from the sofa and slipped his arms through the sleeves and shrugged into it. She picked up his hat from the coffee table and ran her fingers around the brim before she handed it to him and he put it on.

He took her hand in his and walked her to the door. "Thank you."

"For what?" She smiled at him. "Ravishing my soon to be husband?"

"That too." And he laughed. "Thank you for giving me some very happy dreams the night before our wedding."

"You're welcome." Lois ran a hand down his cheek. "But it won't be a dream tomorrow, will it?"

"It'll be a dream come true, that's what it'll be." He grinned before he opened the door. "My parents don't need to know about this."

"The General doesn't either." She added as he stepped out onto the porch.

"Deal." He buttoned up his coat and Lois could see that the snow was really starting to come down.

"Be careful driving back."

"I will honey, don't worry." Clark promised her. "I'll call you when I get back to your dad's."

"Please do."

His feet seemed rooted to the porch because he wasn't moving. "This isn't easy for me you know, leaving you tonight."

She nodded so he would know she understood. "I shouldn't have started something that I knew deep down you wouldn't finish."

He laughed softly and stepped back inside briefly to kiss her one last time. "Lois, that was never a guarantee." He told her with a grin as he stepped outside and closed the door.

__

It was never a guarantee?


	44. Wedding Bells at Fort Ryan: Part I

What kind of an idiot would take a cold shower in December?

It would be the same idiot who went against his better judgment and let his fiancée coax him into the very house where they would be spending their wedding night.

He stood under the hard, cold spray but it wasn't helping because the memory of her warm skin and soft lips kept his body heated and he realized that he'd worked himself into a frustration that was of his own making.

He allowed things to go way beyond what they should have and he allowed his good sense to be overridden by his need for her. And it wasn't the physical need he felt so deeply, but the emotional need to feel as close to her as was humanly possible. And at that moment Clark had an overriding emotional need to hear her voice.

He needed to talk to her before it got any later.

He turned off the water and grabbed a towel from the towel bar and dried himself off before he got ready for bed and walked back into the guestroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed, toweling his hair as he dialed the base operator and requested his parent's number before he was put through.

Why wasn't he surprised when Lois picked up the other end of the line? _"Kent Farm."_

"Hi honey, it's me."

_"I'm sorry." "_I'm sorry." They each apologized and Clark shook his head and smiled. "How are you doing?"

_"I can't sleep._"He heard her sigh. "_I know I should be in dreamland by now, but every time I close my eyes, we finish what I started."_

"That's my fault and I _am_ sorry." He ran a hand through his damp hair. "And the next time you hear that a cold shower is supposed to douse the fires of passion, don't believe it."

Incredibly, he heard her laugh softly. _"You had to take a cold shower because of me?"_

"Don't sound so pleased with yourself." He probably shouldn't have grinned, but he did. "You've got insomnia because of _me_."

_"Oh yeah._"And she laughed again. "_Clark?"_

"What is it?"

He didn't hear anything for a moment. _"What do you think it's going to be like?"_

She was something, and tomorrow she would he his.

"Lois, the only way we're going to know is when we get there."

__

"You're avoiding my question."

"I'm avoiding another cold shower and making your insomnia worse." He reasoned, but then felt he should tell her something, hopefully to help her sleep. "I think it's going to be everything we hope it's going to be."

_"Clark?" _He didn't know if he'd satisfied her with his answer.

"What is it?"

Lois sighed again_. "It wasn't about sex, tonight I mean. It was about being close to you and wanting to show you how much I love you."_

"I know, and it's why it wasn't easy for me to put a stop to it because I wanted you to know how much I love you too. But the best way for me to have done that was to leave you on the porch."

_"You were very clear about what you didn't want to do tonight, but I went ahead with it anyway and didn't give you much choice about where we were going to end up."_ She pointed out.

"But _you_ were also very clear about what you wanted and I knew that." He ran a hand through his hair again. "I know that I pretty much made the decision to wait. And I did that because I wanted you to understand that when we finally made love, it wasn't a fling or a rush of passion. It was my responsibility to make sure we didn't end up in the situation we did and yet _I_ was the one who ended up putting us there."

_"You're not going to do this._" Her voice was firm. "_You're not going to shoulder the responsibility of something that I started, with every intention of seeing it through. And in spite of what you said before you left, it was a guarantee that we wouldn't end up making love in your bed."_

"How do you know that?" Clark was serious.

_"Because I know you and I know how much it means to you to wait. And I know why you want to wait." _Lois was just as serious._ "As odd as I know it must sound, I don't regret what happened. I'm frustrated, but that's my__ fault, not yours, because I knew what I was doing. But tomorrow night it won't matter anymore and we can stop beating ourselves up for decisions we made when we weren't thinking clearly."_

And there it was. What he'd unwittingly been after since he picked up the receiver, forgiveness. And he knew better than to press the issue, so he dropped it.

"I can't wait to see you in your mother's dress." He smiled. "All Mom will tell me is that your dad thinks you're a vision."

_"My father needs his vision checked._" She quipped. "_I can't wait to see you when I'm walking up the aisle with Dad."_

"It'll be here soon enough and then we'll have all the time in the world."

He heard her yawn. _"I think I can sleep now."_

"And I don't think I need another cold shower." He couldn't help but smile.

_"I'm glad you called, otherwise I was going to call you._" She admitted with another yawn. "_That's why I was downstairs. This was something we couldn't let go unsaid before we got married tomorrow."_

"I hope we can always talk like this. I feel like I know you better when we hash things out and clear the air."

_"It's something we've always done and I think it's important to keep it up._" She agreed. "_Your mother told me earlier that we're going to be doing some adjusting after we're married. Which makes a lot of sense when you think about it because we won't have the luxury of my going home if things get dicey._

"As long as you say 'I Do' tomorrow, the rest of our days together can't be that bad." And he heard Lois laugh.

__

"You say that now, but just wait until we've been married for awhile. Lane's are not at their best first thing in the morning."

And that got _him_ to laugh. "There's just one small flaw with your thinking Lois. After we get married tomorrow you're not going to be a Lane anymore; you'll be a Kent."

_"So merely by marriage, I'll become as sweet and thoughtful as you and your parents._" He knew she was blushing.

"They have that effect on people."

__

"So does their son."

'Thank You' didn't seem to be an adequate way to respond to her compliment.

__

"Clark?"

"I'm still here." He assured her. "I was just thinking about how lucky I am."

_"And tomorrow you'll be even luckier because you'll have me."_ She laughed again and he shook his head in amusement.

"Lois." His own face flushed and she kept laughing.

__

"So you'd better get as much sleep as you can tonight because I don't foresee you getting much tomorrow."

"Then you'd better take your own advice, because I don't foresee that for you either." _They were so close. _"I'll do my best to make it up to you, for what happened tonight."

_"Don't you really mean for what didn't happen?"_

"That's what I mean."

_"Then why didn't you just say that?_" She was having too much fun, at his expense. But that was all right; he deserved it. "_You don't need to make anything up to me Clark. The fact that you called is enough."_

There was a soft knock at the door and then it opened.

General Lane was in the doorway, smiling. "Say goodnight to her now. You'll see her tomorrow and then you can talk all night if you want to."

_"I don't plan on talking, do you?_" He heard Lois laughing again, obviously having heard her father.

"You really want me to tell him that?" Clark smiled and then looked up at the man who was going to become his father in law. "We're hanging up."

"Set your clock for 0700." He advised. "And tell Lois goodnight."

"I will." Clark promised on both counts and the door closed. "Well honey, I've gotten a direct order so I need to say goodnight."

__

"The General and his orders."

"I guess I should get used to it, seeing as how I _will_ be married to a general's daughter."

__

"Sofa."

She _had _told him to remember that one word, but all he did was laugh. "If I _do_ end up there, I have no doubt you'll end up there with me."

__

"I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"We'll see." He told her and glanced at the bedside clock. "We really do need to hang up now."

__

"I know."

"I love you."

_"I know that too."_

And then Lois sighed._ "Your mother just came into the kitchen, so I need to go too."_

"Sleep well."

_"I think I can now._"She said.

_"Say goodnight to her Clark._"He laughed silently at the chiding tone of his mother's voice.

_"Your bride needs her rest."_

"And her groom doesn't?"

_"You really want me to tell her that?_" She asked and then directed her comment to his mother. "_I'll be upstairs in a few minutes."_

_"All right. Don't be long now._" He heard.

"My mother has spoken, so you'd better get upstairs." Clark advised. "And before your dad comes back, I'd better hang up."

__

"This is really going to happen, isn't it?"

"That's the plan." He nodded and then sighed. "Believe it or not, hanging up the telephone is harder than leaving you alone at the house."

_"I know._" She agreed and then was quiet. "_Would it make things easier if we did a count?"_

"Yes." He grinned because he couldn't bring himself to hang up on her.

__

"All right Handsome, on three. One."

"Two."

__

"Three."

"Three." The line went dead and when he hung up, realized that he was still smiling.

He stood up and pulled the blankets back before getting into bed and turning off the light. He lay in the quiet, and the calmness he felt that morning came back to him and he finally drifted off to sleep. And then he dreamed of finishing what he'd started with Lois in the bedroom.

She may have initiated things in the parlor, but he was the one who'd carried her upstairs. And once he had her there, had every intention of christening their bed, until his good sense returned.

Clark didn't have any idea what time it was as he reluctantly opened his eyes and when he looked at the bedside clock, it was barely six. It felt like he'd hardly slept at all, but he also knew he wasn't going back to sleep; so he threw back the covers and reached for his bathrobe. It felt colder than usual that morning as he stood up and shrugged into it, tying the sash.

He opened the door and could smell the aroma of fresh coffee.

How long had the General been up?

Clark found him sitting at the table in the kitchen with the morning edition of the _Daily Planet _in his handsand a cup of coffee next to him. "Can't take the farm out of the farm boy, can you?" And he chuckled.

He knew Lois' father was referring to his early rising and he smiled. "Dad's said the same thing, but the truth is I couldn't sleep anymore."

"Nerves?" The paper went down and the General was grinning. "You're entitled you know. You're making a big change in your life today."

Clark shook his head. "I'm anxious to get to one o'clock so I can marry your daughter."

"I like your answer." He nodded his approval. "There's fresh coffee on the stove Your mother picked up your suit from the drycleaner yesterday afternoon and it's in the guestroom closet. And when you're ready to take a shower, I would suggest warm water this time."

The look on Clark's face must have revealed his surprise. _How did he know?_

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that your intended tried to take advantage of an empty house and start the honeymoon a little early."

"With a little help from me." He admitted and felt his face warm.

"Lois can be very persuasive when she wants something." Was all the General said as his newspaper went back up. "I take it because of the cold shower that she was unsuccessful."

"You could say that."

"Well, you won't have to worry about that any more." Clark heard from behind the paper. "But I can tell you from the experience of my own wedding night; it's worth the wait."

"I know it will be." He sighed. "It _was_ awfully tempting though."

"I'm sure it was." The newspaper went down again. "My daughter is a very lovely girl; you're in love with each other and about to get married. I knew the chance I was taking when I asked you to drive her home, and I'm glad to see that you didn't let me down."

Clark walked to the stove to pour himself a cup of coffee before joining Lois' father at the table. "I let _her_ down though, by not keeping my promise to her about waiting."

"When Lo was little and she wanted something, she would follow me around the house and say, 'Daddy, please', and she would keep saying it until I gave in. She used the same kind of a tactic with you, I'd wager."

"Something like that." He shrugged and felt his face flush.

"She's never taken no for an answer very well, that's for sure." The General chuckled and folded the newspaper before putting it down on the table. "So are you hungry?"

"Not really." Clark admitted with a smile.

"Well I'm starving." He grinned as he stood up. "I've been up since 0400 and I'm ready to eat. You're welcome to join me because I'll make enough for two and you can eat at your leisure because we've got plenty of time."

"I'll take good care of her, sir." Clark suddenly felt the need to reassure Lois' father about his daughter's future.

"I know you will Clark." He nodded. "That's why it won't be so difficult to give her away this afternoon; and she'll take good care of you too. Because underneath all of that bravado and sarcasm is the softest heart you'll ever encounter. And I didn't tell you that. "

"Understood."

oooooo

The closer it got to one o'clock, Clark began to feel the nervousness that he'd avoided as their wedding day approached. His hands suddenly forgot how to tie a simple knot and his father had to help him.

"You remind me a lot of me on _my_ wedding day." Dad smiled as he tied Clark's tie. "Of course, I was nervous for about a week before I married your mother. We were taking a big step and with the life of a farmer being what it is, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to take care of her."

"But in good times and in bad, you did."

"That's because I took a vow and we both took those vows seriously, as I know you and Lois will."

Clark nodded his agreement as he looked down at the suit he'd chosen to wear and sighed. It was the suit he was wearing the night they met and he couldn't help but wonder if she'd remember and voiced the reservation to his father.

"She'll remember." Dad reassured him. "And she'll love you even more for the gesture."

"I'm not even sure what made me think to do it." Clark confessed.

"Maybe you thought about it because that was the night your life with her began." His father slipped the tie in place underneath his collar. "I learned early on that women remember small things like that and it works to your advantage to remember them too."

He nodded again.

"I know I don't need to tell you that there are going to be some adjustments ahead." Dad caught his eye. "And you and Lois will have the added challenge of making those adjustments sharing a house with your mother and me.

"We've been talking a lot about that this week and we'll do our best to stay out of your way, because we remember what that's like. We were trying to adjust to living together and then trying to have you and do it living with my parents. It helped that my mother loved Martha as much as your mother loves Lois."

"I think if she hadn't stayed here before, the transition would be more noticeable." Clark pointed out. "But since she did and we made _that_ transition, this should be easier."

"You weren't sharing the same bed before."

"I know." He acknowledged. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that while this situation _is_ different, we got used to having Lois in the house with us so it won't be an adjustment having another person there."

"You _are_ right about that. And I know how much your mother is looking forward to having her there again. She's going to have the daughter we could never have."

"And if she's lucky, maybe we can give her a granddaughter or two." His face warmed at the idea of children.

"You have time. Just enjoy being married for awhile because whether you realize it or not, you waited all this time for Lois. And something tells me that she waited all this time for you, too."

"And _I'm_ waiting for one o'clock." Clark glanced at his watch again and it startled him to realize that in five minutes he was going to see Lois walk up the aisle on her father's arm.

Dad looked at his watch as well just as the chaplain came in to tell them that they were needed in the chapel and asked them to come with him.

"Good luck son." His father put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "You've got happy days ahead of you."

"Thanks Dad." He took a deep breath, trying to stop from shaking and asked the obvious question. "Do you have the ring?"

He pulled it out of his inside breast pocket and showed it to Clark and grinned. "Tucked away, safe and sound. Now let's go get you married."

"I'm all for that." He smiled back as they followed the chaplain through a door that led them directly into the chapel. The small gathering of guests were there and he smiled when he saw a woman in the front pew with a baby in her lap. She must have been Lois's sister

Was that the General's surprise?

The chaplain walked down the aisle, to the back and opened the door. He appeared to be talking to someone before he turned around and walked back up the aisle to take his place. With a signal to the organist, she began to play.

__

This was really going to happen.

The doors opened wide and Clark smiled at the sight of his mother, with a small bouquet of flowers in her hands as she walked down the aisle in cadence to the Wedding March. Her first glance seemed to go to his father because her face flushed.

He had no doubt she was remembering _their_ wedding day, as was Dad. Her second glance went to her son and her eyes filled with tears before she blinked them away. She took her place and smiled at him until their attention was drawn to Lois and her father who suddenly appeared in the doorway.

Clark was stunned at the sight of her.

Mom had been right, she _was_ a vision and he could see why her father wanted her to wear the dress, because it did suit her.

The General was in his freshly pressed Class A uniform wearing a smile that matched his daughters and his hand covered the one she had on his arm as they walked up the aisle. It was the protective gesture of a father who was entrusting his daughter's happiness with a fellow he was still getting to know.

Lois, for her part, couldn't seem to take her eyes off Clark and the closer she and her father got to him, her smiled seemed to grow.

The chaplain signaled for the guests to sit once Lois had stopped next to Clark, and as the music came to an end he started the ceremony.

"We are gathered here today to join in matrimony, Clark Jerome Kent and Lois Joanne Lane. Who gives this woman to this man?"

If she wasn't rolling her eyes, Clark knew she must have been sorely tempted. He could just hear her indignant comment, 'No one is _giving_ me to anybody.' And he had to squelch the urge to laugh.

"Her mother and I do." The General answered.

It was obviously something Lois wasn't expecting because he heard a soft. "Thank you Daddy." She kissed his cheek and when he sat down next to the young woman, he took the baby in his lap. It had to be Lucy.

"Nice suit G-man." She said to Clark, just as softly and then handed her flowers to his mother.

"I thought you'd like it. And your father was right, you are a vision." He returned just as quietly.

"You need _your_ vision checked." Lois smiled with her face flushed from his compliment.

The chaplain for his part was trying to keep a straight face, witnessing their exchange. "Marriage is a joyous occasion, but a serious one as well because the two of you have come here today to pledge your lives to the other.

"So I ask, do you Clark Jerome Kent take Lois Joanne Lane as your lawfully wedded wife? Will you love, honor and cherish her for better of for worse, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others until death do you part?"

"I do." And his body finally stopped shaking.

"Do you Lois Joanne Lane take Clark Jerome Kent as your lawfully wedded husband? Will you love, honor and cherish him for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others until death do you part?"

"I do." And that was only after she was promised by the chaplain that she wouldn't have to say 'obey'.

"The rings please." He looked at Clark's parents and they each gave a ring to him. He in turn handed Lois's ring to Clark. "Put this ring on the third finger of your bride's left hand and repeat after me. I give you this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity."

He looked at Lois and smiled as he took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. _That wasn't going to be a problem. _"I give you this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity."

They were half way home as the chaplain handed Clark's ring to Lois. "Put this ring on the third finger of your groom's left hand and repeat after me. I give you this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity."

He could feel her hands shake as she took his hand in hers. She put the ring on his finger and her voice sounded breathless. "I give you this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity."

"With the vows you have taken today, the giving and receiving of rings and by the power vested in me by the State of Kansas, I pronounce you man and wife. Congratulations."

Clark and Lois glanced at each other and smiled. _Really?_

"Son, you can kiss her now." The chaplain laughed softly. "You're married."

_How does a fellow kiss his wife_? He answered his own question when he took her face in his hands and gave her a soft kiss. She answered just as softly and felt her smile. _Patience Lois._

"It is my honor and pleasure to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent."

They glanced at each other again and it seemed that they knew what the other was thinking.

__

Finally.


	45. Wedding Bells at Fort Ryan: Part II

__

He was kissing her in places he'd never kissed her before and touching her in places she'd only dreamed about. His warm hands were skimming her heated skin and all she wanted from him was what he'd denied her. She wanted...

Coffee?

__

Did she smell coffee?

Her eyes were open and it took her a moment to realize that she was alone in the quiet of the bedroom, trying to catch her breath. _It would figure._ She smiled to herself, though because she'd get to finish her dream that night, with him.

And the thought of her wedding night made her think about her wedding _day_ and suddenly Lois couldn't remember if she'd finished her last minute list of details.

Had the poinsettias been delivered to the chapel, did her father know that he needed to meet her there at 12:45, had she forgotten to put the flowers out on the service porch to keep them cold when they'd been delivered late yesterday afternoon?

Her dress... was hanging on the back of the door and her veil was draped across her cedar chest at the foot of the bed. She sat up in a panic because she couldn't remember where her shoes were and then located them, by the bedroom door of course.

__

This was just torture.

Seven whole hours before they would be married and too many hours after that before they would _really_ be married. That dream sure as hell hadn't helped anything, but she smiled anyway.

She looked at the bedside clock and it was barely six. Lois didn't want to go back to sleep because she was afraid of oversleeping and Mrs. Kent, Martha; she was still having trouble saying 'Martha', insisted that she not worry about anything but getting ready for the wedding.

It was easy for _her_ to say.

Actually, Lois knew that she was speaking from her own experience. One of the nicest things about planning her wedding was getting to listen to Clark's mother talk about her own wedding and how nervous she was.

It struck her as odd that, Martha, would be nervous. Her calm nature had helped Lois from becoming too nervous herself and maybe that was the point.

She pushed the blankets back and immediately grabbed for her robe wondering what kind of an idiot would decide to get married on Christmas Eve? _That would be _you_, Lois Joanne._

It wasn't that hard to be romantic in the middle of the summer because it was hot.

She shoved her feet into her slippers and stood, cinching her robe before walking to the door. It was quiet when she opened it and Lois couldn't imagine that the Kent's would still be asleep. She took the stairs down to the kitchen and while it looked as thought they were already up, they were nowhere to be found. But she also realized why her first thought on waking was coffee.

It appeared as though Martha had made a fresh pot; there was also a note on the stove. 'Food is probably the last thing on your mind, but there's a plate in the pie warmer. Please eat everything on it.' And Lois smiled.

It was going to be her job from now on to take care of Clark, but it was nice to know that she would have Martha Kent to take care of her.

She got a potholder and pulled the plate carefully out of the warmer. She set it down on the table, where a table setting waited for her and then poured a cup of coffee. She set it down next to her plate and the odd thought came to her about what she and Clark would do about breakfast the next morning. And she smiled because they probably wouldn't be thinking about food, or maybe they would.

All she knew was, they would be married by then.

Lois was glad that there wasn't much on the plate, because she was barely able to eat what was there. She'd taken after her father and had always been a hardy eater, so it perplexed her to see that she could barely manage one egg, a slice of bacon and a wedge of toast.

Was Clark having trouble eating? Was he even awake yet? Had he even slept, and what had he dreamed about? Would he have dreamed what _she_ had and would it have wakened him out of a sound sleep?

_It would serve you right buster_, she laughed softly.

She poured herself a second cup of coffee before she washed up her few dishes and set them in the dish rack to dry.

"Lois, what are you doing?" The gentle question came from Martha, standing in the doorway of the service porch. "This is your wedding day and you don't need to be doing dishes."

"I don't need to be awake either." Lois smiled. "But here I am."

"It's normal to be nervous, honey; you're taking a big step today." She smiled back and closed the door.

"I was in bed last night and couldn't sleep and all I could think about was that a whole year has gone by since I met him. I certainly never thought I would end up marrying him."

"Life is a mystery that way." Martha took Lois's hand and sat her down at the table. "When Jonathan and I first met you, we liked you. But at the time, we couldn't see you as someone that Clark would fall in love with, let alone ask to marry him.

"But the more we got to know you and especially after he made you part of his cover, we started to see a spark of something between you; Jonathan still believes that event was providence. He felt that of all the excuses our son could have come up with, he chose to introduce you as his girl."

"I wasn't too happy about that at the time." Lois could admit it now.

"I got that feeling." Martha laughed. "Then he kissed you and muddied the waters even more."

"I was so confused after that." She shrugged. "I understood why he did it and if I really didn't want him too, he wouldn't have. But at the time, I thought it might be the only chance I would have to see what it would be like."

"And it wasn't what you expected."

"I don't know who was more surprised by it, him or me."

Martha smiled again. "And it was a nice surprise, wasn't it?"

Lois nodded in agreement. "But it balled things up because we were in a situation we shouldn't have been in and we both knew it."

"Maybe it _was _providence, then."

"Maybe." She considered the idea. "I never should have met someone like him, being in the line of work I'm in because fellows like him don't frequent places like the _Falcon_."

"Everything happens for a reason. And whether you call it providence, coincidence or just plain luck, the result is you're marrying my son later today and I've never seen him happier.

"If you hadn't come along, he probably would have continued on as he was and that was a worry for Jonathan and me. Especially when we didn't get to see him for such a long time."

Maybe Martha _was_ right.

"It doesn't matter now because you and Clark have your whole lives ahead of you. And I couldn't be happier that you're becoming a part of our family." She grasped Lois' hand. "I used to wonder sometimes what it might be like if we'd been able to have a daughter and I don't need to wonder any more."

Lois felt her eyes tear and then took a deep breath. "Is it bad luck to cry on your wedding day?"

Martha laughed. "Only if they're tears of sadness, I don't think tears of joy count."

She took another deep breath. "Did we ever decide if we were going to do my hair and make up here or when we get into the bride's room?"

"We'll do your hair before we leave and you'll dress there." Clark's mother was so reassuring. "Don't worry about any of this, honey. That's what a matron of honor is supposed to do."

"So what am _I_ supposed to do?"

"Pamper yourself." She answered. "Take a long, hot bath if you like."

_Pamper_? "I grew up on Army bases and there's no such thing as papering when you live with a three star general."

"Lois, go upstairs and relax or sit by the fire with your coffee." Martha insisted. "Later on this morning it's going to get pretty busy and you're going to wish you had."

And she laughed. "Yes ma'am."

"Good girl."

Lois stood up and retrieved her cup from the counter and walked out to the parlor.

Even in the midst of planning the wedding, she helped Martha decorate the house for Christmas and it was such a difference from the previous year. She had Lois do it then to keep her mind off the fact that she was a material witness in an FBI investigation. This year it had been as an unofficial member of their family and helped keep her calm.

She sat down on the sofa and watched the fire and her cheeks warmed at the idea of Clark, still in his hat and coat, building a fire for her. Tonight he would be building a fire _with_ her.

She turned toward the sudden sound of the front door opening and Mr. Kent, Jonathan, walked in. "There she is." He was too cheerful for such an early hour. "Have you eaten? Martha left you a plate in the pie warmer."

Lois nodded. "I've eaten and I'm working on my second cup of coffee because, Martha, won't let me do anything." She stumbled and he laughed.

"I know it feels strange to call us by our given names, but you'll get used to it." He tried to assure her. "If it helps, I know Clark is having a heck of a time calling your father, 'Sam'."

That made _her _laugh. "I know Dad's been encouraging him, but he can be a little intimidating even when he's not trying to be."

"Here's something to keep in mind for the future. A good parent is always a little intimidating to their children, even when they're grown; it's a sign that you raised your children right."

"That's probably going to fall on me." She sighed. "Clark couldn't intimidate a fly."

"You seem to forget that he _is_ an FBI agent; that's got to stand for something." Jonathan smiled.

"I'm sure that he can be forceful when it comes to doing his job. But when it comes to his children, he'll be putty in their hands, especially our daughters."

She was talking about children again, as though it was the most natural thing in the world to do. And it disconcerted the hell out of her because they weren't even married yet.

"Would you like daughters?" He asked her and seemed to smile at the idea of _having_ granddaughters.

"I hadn't really thought about it."

"But you have talked about it."

She nodded. "He'd like at least one daughter that looks like me and who I'm sure would wrap him around her little finger. If any sons we have look like him, that would make _me_ happy."

"Have you thought about how many kids you'd like to have?"

Lois shook her head. "There never seemed to be time to sit down and really talk about that."

"It doesn't matter, I guess. You'll welcome your children because they'll be a result of the love you and Clark have for each other. In my great-grandfather's day, they would have been called 'pledges of affection'. He smiled at her. "They had a way with words in those days."

"What did you call Clark?" Lois asked him.

"Our little miracle." Jonathan answered. "Martha and I were having trouble starting a family and we were beginning to wonder if we were meant to have children."

She remembered what Martha had told her, about an argument they'd gotten into. And the result of their making up was, her husband to be; but she wasn't supposed to know that.

"Well you obviously were since I'm marrying your son." _Don't give yourself away Lois._

"I've never seen two people more perfect for each other than you and Clark. Except for Martha and me, of course." He grinned. "You complement each other in ways that I don't think you see and you complete each other too."

Clark's parents really were sweet, and Lois was on the verge of tears again.

"Lois, I didn't say that to make you cry." The look on his face was one of remorse.

She shook her head. "You just remind me of where Clark gets his thoughtfulness and that I'll be a permanent part of it after today."

"You may not think you're just as thoughtful, but you are and Clark has always seen that."

"Always?" Lois had a hard time believing that and his father conceded her point and laughed.

"All right, _almost_ always."

"That's better." She laughed with him.

"Well I need to get upstairs and get ready. Your father called earlier this morning and asked if I would get over to Fort Ryan because he thought my son could use a familiar face."

"Is he that nervous?"

"Clark was a little agitated when he got back to the house last night." He told her and Lois dipped her head to try and hide her smile. "You wouldn't know anything about that, would you young lady?"

She looked up at the man who was about to become her father in law and her face warmed. "Who, me?"

And he laughed out loud, something she'd never heard before and it sounded so much like Clark's laugh. "That's what I thought." And he turned for the stairs before stopping and calling to his wife in the kitchen. "Martha, I'm going upstairs now."

"All right." Lois heard her call back and Jonathan went upstairs. A moment later, she walked into the parlor and her face was flushed. "Of all the things for him to mention."

"That story will always be safe with me."

"I know that honey and I was never worried." Martha answered as she sat down. "So is your suitcase packed yet?"

"We aren't leaving for Metropolis until after breakfast tomorrow, so I thought I'd have time."

"I thought it was very generous of Mr. Luthor to give you his suite at the _Regent_ for a week." She commented with a knowing smile.

"A honeymoon in Metropolis wasn't exactly what I would have chosen, but Clark was advised that we shouldn't go too far because we might have to cut it short. More reports are coming in about fifth column activity around the country and the Bureau's put all of its agents on alert, honeymoon or not.

"I happened to mention that when Lionel and I were going through the liquor inventory and he offered his suite to us for as long as we wanted it."

"So why not spend your wedding night _there_?" She asked curiously.

"Because I wanted to spend it _here_." Lois told her. "And that's why I think you're so wonderful about spending the night at Fort Ryan."

"Your father and Jonathan and I want your marriage to get off on the right foot. So if that means giving you the house for your wedding night and staying with Sam, we're more than happy to do it."

"Do you think I _should_ pack?"

She seemed to consider what she was about to say. "I only mention it because you might find yourself too preoccupied in the morning to think about it."

Preoccupied?... _Oh!_

"I'm sorry Lois; I was trying to find a delicate way to put that." And she tried to stifle a laugh.

"It wasn't that." Lois laughed herself, in surprise. "It's just taking some getting used to, talking about all of this with you. But it's nice to be able to."

"That's what a good mother does, or in my case, mother in law." Martha smiled back. "I hope you know that you can always come and talk to me, about anything."

"I've always known that. But it's nice to hear, thank you." Lois nodded as she leaned over and hugged the woman who was partly responsible for giving her a husband and felt the hug returned. She stood up and picked up her coffee cup and felt her face warm again. "I think I will go pack."

"If you need me to press anything, let me know." She offered as Lois walked to the stairs.

"I will." She answered as she headed up to her room.

_Their room._

oooooo

_Breathe, Lo._

Lois had to remind herself to do it because the last thing she wanted to do was faint as she was walking down the aisle, in ten minutes.

_Breathe._

There had been some discussion about what to do with her hair and Lois had decided to roll it up. It was a style she'd seen in movie magazines, but had never been successful in getting her hair to cooperate. And she thought that with Martha's help, maybe it would be possible.

The effect was that her hair was rolled around long, soft styling cylinders called 'rats tails' against her head into what looked like an 'o' from the back. It turned out much more stylish that she could have hoped and kept her fingers crossed that it would make it through the wedding.

But she'd been assured that her hair was as secure as could be.

She sat at the small vanity in the bride's room of the Fort Ryan chapel and finished applying her make up as Martha touched up her hair. She dabbed a little petroleum jelly on the flyaways that she couldn't tame and Lois started to shake.

"Once you see him, that shaking will stop. I promise."

"I used to wonder sometimes if this would really happen." Lois looked at Martha in the reflection of the mirror as she fingered her mother's pearls that hung around her neck.

"Every bride experiences that Lois. And it's even harder to believe when you actually get to your wedding day." She smiled back at her reflection. "It's going to take some getting used to, being married that is. Because even after the chaplain finishes the ceremony, you still won't quite believe it."

"I'll take good care of your son." Lois promised his mother.

"I know you will, because you love him." She answered as she squeezed her shoulders in response. "Your hair is ready, so let's get you into that dress."

Lois stood up and tried to stop her knees from shaking because this was it, the moment she'd waited for. She loosened her robe and dropped it on the chair as Martha got her dress out of the dress bag. She held it while Lois gingerly stepped into it and slipped her arms into the sleeves. _So far so good._

"I hope it still fits." Martha joked as she looped the buttons up the back and to Lois it felt just a smidge snug in the waist. But Clark's mother declared that it was perfect and gave her a brief hug. "Oh honey, I wish your mother could see you."

She turned her to face the mirror and Lois saw her mother.

There was a soft knock on the door and it opened. "Is everyone decent?"

The General.

"Come in, I'm just about ready." She invited him in.

"That's good, because Clark is _more_ than ready." He chuckled. "I've never seen anyone so anxious to get married. Oh, Lo." She heard him take a breath. "I sure wish your mother were here to see you."

She turned around and he had tears in his eyes.

"You look just as pretty as she did on _our_ wedding day." He walked over and grasped her arms and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you Daddy." _Don't cry._

"I thought before I walked you down the aisle, I'd bring you a visitor. Come on in." He called and to Lois' surprise, her sister was there with Michael in her arms.

"Lucy!"

"Hi, sis." She smiled as she bounced her son in her arms. "The doctor gave us the all clear, so Andrew and Daddy insisted that we be here. So here we are."

"Lucy." Lois could hardly believe it. Her family, her whole family was there to see her get married.

Her sister handed the baby to his grandfather and the sisters hugged for a long moment. "I'm so happy for you Lo. From what you and Dad have told me, he seems like a really nice fellow."

"And you'll get the chance to finally meet him after the wedding." Lois stepped back. "Was Andrew able to come with you?"

She shook her head. "He's feeling better, but the doctor said the trip would be too much for him. So Daddy got Michael and me on a military transport, he still won't tell me how and here we are."

"And I _won't_ tell you because it's a military secret." He joked and Lois rolled her eyes.

"Of course it is." She smiled at her sister. "How long can you stay?"

"I need to fly out in the morning because I don't want Andrew to spend all of Christmas Day by himself." She held Lois's hands. "I'm sorry Lo; I would like to have spent part of Christmas with you."

"But you're here for Christmas Eve and it's more than I expected." And she looked at her father. "So that's what all the secrecy was about."

He grinned. "Some of it, anyway."

"Some of it?"

__

He wasn't done playing Santa Claus.

"I need to go get your sister settled, so while I take her to our seats you let Martha help you finish getting ready." His grin softened to a smile. "You don't want to keep that boy waiting any longer than he has to." He rocked his grandson. "Come on Lucy, you and your sister can catch up later."

"The General has spoken." Lucy said softly and smiled at her.

"I heard that." He replied.

"Luce, you seem to forget that the General hears _every_thing." She smiled.

"That's right, so let's go. The clock's ticking on the 'I Do's'."

Lucy kissed her cheek and followed her father out the door before she stopped again. "Be happy."

"I will." She answered and her sister was gone, the door closed behind her.

"I'm glad she could be here." Martha smiled as she picked up the veil. "You're father wasn't sure he would be able to pull it off, even after that telephone call last night."

"You knew about this?" Lois asked her.

"There was one thing he was working on that he wouldn't tell us about, but we knew about your sister." She nodded her head.

"So he _does_ have something else up his sleeve."

"He does." She picked up some hairpins from the vanity as she put the veil on Lois' head and secured it. "And you'll find out about it later. Step into your shoes and we'll be ready to go."

Lois did as she asked and her heart started to race. This would be the third and last time she would wear her mother's dress because she was finally getting married.

__

It was about time.

"Stay here while I go get the bouquets. Your father should be back any minute." Martha instructed and was out the door and a moment later it opened again, then closed.

"It's D-day minus five, are you ready?" Her father asked as he glanced at his wristwatch and looked so smart in his uniform.

"I'm ready. And you look very nice Dad." She made sure to tell him that.

"I don't wear my Class A uniform for just anyone." He smiled at her. "And my oldest daughter's wedding is the best occasion I can think of, don't you?"

"I'm just glad that you're here."

"Me too, honey." He nodded in agreement as the door opened again. Martha had two bouquets in her hands and handed one to the General.

"I think it's appropriate that you give this to your daughter."

"Will do, Martha." He took it and held it for a moment before handing it to Lois. "Have a happy life with him Lo." He kissed her cheek. "And if he gives you any grief, you know where I am." And he laughed.

"Dad." She laughed with him and then leaned up to kiss his cheek. "I'll have a happy life; he's going to make that easy."

"Let's go get you married then." He cleared his throat as Martha found the loop under the hem of the dress and put it around Lois's wrist, to make it easier for her to walk.

"That's the best idea I've heard all day." She kissed his cheek again for good measure as they followed Clark's mother out of the room.

__

Breathe Lois, breathe.

The three walked down the hall to the door of the chapel before Martha tapped her wrist and Lois extended her arm so that she could get the loop. Once she'd gotten it from around Lois's wrist, she fanned out the hem of the dress behind her and sighed.

"You look lovely Lois." And kissed her cheek just as the 'Wedding March' started and she took her place.

Lois took her father's arm and he put a reassuring hand on top as the doors were opened wide and Martha started down the aisle.

"One step at a time, and remember to breathe." He laughed softly.

"Thanks Dad." She took a deep breath and they were off.

The weight of the dress tugged behind her as her father escorted her to her groom and it was then she saw that he was wearing the suit he had on the night he came to talk to her at the _Falcon_. She had no idea that he would have remembered that.

_She'_dnever forgotten because in spite of the circumstances, she couldn't help but notice how handsome he was in it. He was wearing it again to pledge the rest of his life to her and that made her smile.

The vows they made to each other were simple and straightforward, as they'd both wanted.

They exchanged promises and rings and then the chaplain declared that they were married.

"With the vows you have taken today, the giving and receiving of rings and by the power vested in me by the State of Kansas, I pronounce you man and wife. Congratulations."

The newlyweds glanced at each other and smiled. _Really?_

"Son, you can kiss her now." The chaplain laughed softly. "You're married."

__

How does a girl kiss her husband?

Her new husband answered her silent question when he took her face in his hands and gave her a soft kiss. She answered just as softly and smiled. _They were married._

"It is my honor and pleasure to present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent."

They glanced at each other again and it seemed that they knew what the other was thinking.

__

Finally.


	46. Moonlight Serenade

It had started to snow again.

While the guests had dashed for their cars to make the short drive over to the officer's club, Lois, Clark, their parents, her sister and her nephew waited at the door for the two staff cars that would transport _them_.

The General looked at his watch and frowned.

Lois wasn't sure why because everything was running on schedule. The wedding photographs had been taken and the Army photographer was on his way over to the reception. She'd joked with her father as the young Sergeant had posed the newlyweds at the altar that she hoped their picture wouldn't show up in _Stars and Stripes_.

"And why not?" He'd given it right back to her and grinned. "I'm your father before I'm a general and I have every right to show you off."

"Then just make sure it's a good one." She'd smiled back at him. Unfortunately, the photographer had taken her seriously.

"I don't take bad photographs, Mrs. Kent."

It was startling to hear her new surname and she'd smiled because she liked the sound of it.

"I _was_ a professional photographer before I enlisted."

"My apologies, Sergeant. My father and I were just kidding around." She'd tried to placate him and it seemed to work because he'd smiled.

"I can guarantee that you'll be happy with my work. General Lane wouldn't have asked me to do the honors otherwise." He'd assured her as he took their picture.

So as they waited, Clark seemed to have something on his mind as he bent over and found the loop of her dress and handed it to her before he took the bouquet out of her hands and handed it to his mother. She got the loop around her wrist just before he took her hand and walked her down to the bride's room.

"Son, the cars will be here any time now." Her new father in law called after them.

"We won't be long Dad." He kept moving as he called back. "They can't go anywhere without us."

"You're dealing with the Army, Agent Kent." Lois reminded him. "And they sure _can_ go anywhere without us."

"Not today, they can't." He grinned at her as he let go of her hand and nudged her into the room. He closed the door behind him before he reached for her.

"I don't suppose I need to ask why we're in here." She asked him, already knowing the answer as he pulled her close and kissed her softly.

"Because that kiss in the chapel isn't the way I wanted to kiss you." He admitted.

"I liked it." Lois smiled and kissed him back. "I like _you_ a lot too."

"Enough to marry me, apparently." He kissed her again.

"I only did that so I wouldn't have to sleep in a cold bed anymore." She teased as she gave him another kiss.

"So my only purpose in this marriage will be to keep you warm." He kissed her yet again.

"Among other things." She answered with a nod as she put her arms around his neck and stopped him from any more talking. He seemed happy to oblige as he pulled her impossibly close and his hands began to roam slowly up and down her back as his kisses began to roam as well.

"The cars are here." Lois vaguely heard a knock at the door and her sister's voice. "Dad says to tell you that you have plenty of time for that later." And then she laughed. "So double-time it, Lo."

"I don't suppose we could make our excuses and skip the reception?" She looked into the flushed face of her husband.

"I'm sorry honey." He shook his head. "As much as I like that idea, I don't know that our parents would."

"Just thought I'd ask." She shrugged as she waited for him to open the door and when he did, her sister's head dipped and she coughed.

"Agent Kent, please tell Dad that we'll be down there in a minute." She smiled. "And you might want to do something about my sister's lipstick."

"Don't be long." He grinned at Lois as he pulled the handkerchief from his breast pocket and walked down the hall.

Lucy pulled her back into the room and smiled as she closed the door. "We should probably repair your makeup a little. The photographer will be at the reception you know."

She sat Lois down and dabbed a little petroleum onto her fingers and fixed some stray strands of hair that had come loose. "Where's your lipstick, Lo?"

_On my husband apparently_, and she sighed."Why do I feel like I just got caught doing something I shouldn't have?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel that way. I just thought you'd feel a little less self-conscious if you didn't look as though you'd been completely kissed." Lucy smiled as she grabbed a tissue and wiped the excess off of her fingers. "I regret sometimes that you didn't have the chance to do this for me and I just wanted to make sure to have the chance to do it for you."

"Thanks." Lois sighed again and touched up her foundation before applying fresh lipstick.

"You look fresh as a daisy." She smiled again as she packed Lois' makeup into her makeup bag. "I'll take this with me so you can touch up at the reception."

"Thanks." She said again.

"You really love him, don't you?" Lucy took her hand. "Because he really seems to make you happy."

"I do because he does, Luce." Lois nodded. "Happier then I ever thought I could be."

"Have you made love with him yet?"

She shook her head.

"It'll be worth the wait, then." And it was Lucy's turn to sigh. "Sometimes I wish that _we'd_ waited so that I could have had the chance at a wedding day like this."

"But you have Michael, so I think that's a fair trade." Lois stood up and smiled. "And one of these days, he'll have a cousin to play with."

"I'd really like that." Her sister told her as she walked to the door and opened it. "Your staff car awaits."

Lucy took her hand and they walked together to where their families were gathered. And as they approached the General was doing his best to look exasperated at his two daughters as he tapped his watch crystal. "Tick tock, girls."

"Yes, Dad." They smiled at him.

"I raised a couple of wiseacres." He shook his head and Lois could see he was doing his best not to smile.

"That's because we take after you, Daddy." Lucy laughed and kissed her father's cheek. "And if you're lucky, your grandson will too."

"God help me." He chuckled as Lois suddenly felt her hand in Clark's and he smiled as he handed her bouquet back to her.

"Ready?"

She nodded and walked with him to the first car. The driver opened the door and Clark helped her in and waited until she was seated and followed her in to sit next to her. The door was closed behind them and he took her hand.

"Your sister is very nice." He smiled at her.

"She said that you seem to make me happy." She told him.

"No more happy than you make me."

The driver got in and Lois felt the car shift as it moved forward. "We're really married, aren't we?" Martha was right, it _was_ going to take some getting used to.

"According to the chaplain, we are." Clark laughed. "You haven't changed your mind already, have you?"

"Have _you_?" She smiled back.

"Not on your life. Now that I have you, you're mine."

"But I don't have to 'obey'." Lois reminded him.

"As if you would anyway." He teased. "As if I would expect it."

"I love you." She felt the need to tell him that.

"I love you too Lois." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Probably more now then I did this morning."

"I think your aim is off." She laughed.

"If I ruin your makeup again, I'm going to hear about it from your sister." He told her. "Besides, I'll have lots of time to ruin your makeup later."

"I'm counting on it buster." Lois kissed his cheek lightly and then brushed at the print her lipstick left behind. "Counting the hours actually."

"Lois." He admonished her with a shake of his head and she tried not to laugh when the driver suddenly did.

"I didn't hear a thing." He promised them.

"We know that Private." Lois assured him.

"Congratulations ma'am, sir." He offered.

"You don't need to 'ma'am' me Private; I'm a civilian." She reminded him.

"Yes ma'am, but your father _is_ a general." He persisted. "And I don't want it getting around that I was disrespectful to the daughter of a general."

It was Clark's turn to laugh. "Rank does have its privileges, Lois."

"And if Dad ever thought that I took advantage of it, I'd hear about it from him."

"Point taken." He grinned as the car came to a slow stop.

The driver got out, leaving the motor running and closed his door. He came around to open the passenger door and Clark stepped out. He held his hand out to her with a smile as she took it and he helped her out. "Are you ready for this?"

She nodded as she stepped out and he kept a hold of her hand as they walked into the lobby. She peeked inside and saw her father at the door with a wide grin on his face.

_What was old Santa Lane up to_?She wondered as she saw the General nod when he caught her eye and then heard an oddly familiar voice come over the microphone, but she couldn't place it. "It appears as though the bride and groom are here, so Ladies and Gentleman please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent."

"I guess that would be us." Clark smiled at her and he'd never looked happier. "Shall we go?"

Lois nodded again as they walked in to the sound of 'String of Pearls' being played and her face warmed with the applause and when she glanced up toward the bandstand, nearly swooned. Somehow her father had managed to get the Glenn Miller Army Air Force Band to Fort Ryan for the reception and she turned to face him in disbelief. "Daddy, what did you do?"

"I called in the last of my favors." He was grinning from ear to ear. "It's not as grand as you think Lo. They were slated to play here tomorrow night anyway and when I got wind that they were going to be at Fort Riley tonight, I floated it through channels that my daughter's wedding reception was going to be _here_. I also mentioned that he was her favorite bandleader and if anything could be done to re-route the band for a few hours, it would be greatly appreciated."

"You didn't need to do that." Lois was overwhelmed with his thoughtfulness.

"No I didn't have to; but I wanted to." And he patted her cheek. "I didn't have the chance to do this for your sister and I don't have any more daughters to marry off after you, so what the hell else was I going to do?"

"Marry off?" She tried to scold him, but was so touched by what he'd done for her all she could think to do was hug him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome honey." He cleared his throat. "You're welcome."

"Don't cry Dad or I'll be a goner." She hugged him tight.

"I'm not crying." He cleared his throat again and held her just as tight. "I've got something in my eye."

"Whatever you say."

oooooo

Lois's father was full of surprises.

Clark suspected that the small feat his new father in law pulled off for _his_ new wife wasn't as easy as he let on. And it couldn't have been as coincidental as he tried to lead them to believe, but it didn't matter because Lois was over the moon with delight. For him, it brought back memories of the night he first kissed her and somehow knew his life would never quite be the same after that.

Their first dance together as a married couple was to 'Moonlight Serenade' of course. It was the first song they'd ever danced to and it seemed fitting that they start their new life together with the song that had started them on their way there in the first place.

His parents and Lois's father and sister joined then for the second dance because Lois had asked her to stand in for their mother. They weren't going to have a lot of time together and she'd told him that she wanted her sister to be as much a part of their day as she could manage and Lucy was touched by her older sister's request.

Lois also decided to take the opportunity to get to know her baby nephew a little better and watched him for a better part of the afternoon, or at least she tried to. At one point, she took him out on to the dance floor and Clark could see the animated way she talked to Michael and how he giggled at his Aunt Lois as she swayed to 'Pennsylvania 6-5000'.

"She's going to take to motherhood like a duck to water; just you wait and see." Sam Lane chuckled as they sat at the table and watched. "She never thought she would be much of a mother but then, she hadn't met _you_ yet."

"Thank you sir." Clark flushed at the unexpected compliment.

"Don't thank _me_ son; thank the FBI for sending you out here in the first place." He grinned. "If it hadn't been for that bogus investigation, you might never have met that firecracker you just married."

__

He couldn't argue with that.

"Michael's really taken to her." Clark looked up to see his new sister in law approach the table. "He isn't usually so friendly with strangers, but he seems to have Lo wrapped around his little fingers."

"You may have a hard time prying that kid out of her arms." Lois' father joked. "But that just means _they'll_ have to get started that much sooner."

"Dad." Lucy scolded him as she sat down and Clark tried not to laugh because she sounded just like Lois. "Give them some time, they just got married."

"I give them a year." He laughed, obviously trying to tweak his daughter.

"Oh honestly." She sighed. "If Mom were here."

"She would have said what you just did." He smiled. "Your mother wasn't one to put up with my nonsense and it's nice to see that her daughters don't either."

"All right Lucy; this is where my doting aunt act ends." Lois walked back from the dance floor holding Michael out in front of her. "Your son needs his diaper changed."

She laughed and took her son from his aunt. "Are you sure you don't want to do the honors?"

"I managed to keep my lunch _and_ Michael's off of Mom's dress." Lois smiled back. "I don't want to push my luck with changing a diaper."

"Good choice." She nodded and looked at her father. "Is there someplace I can change him?"

"Let me do it." Sam held his arms out for his grandson. "It'll get me back into practice for these two."

"Dad." Lois and Lucy admonished him and Clark couldn't help but laugh.

"Don't encourage him, buster." Lois raised an eyebrow at him, but he kept laughing. So much of who Lois was came from her father and now he could see that it was true with her sister as well. He watched as father and daughter walked around the dance floor and Lois sat down. "That kid's a handful."

"Your father seems to think we'll have _our _hands full in a year." He grinned when she flushed.

"I would never have taken my father as a betting man." She shook her head. "Did you get a chance to talk to Mr. White before he left?"

He nodded. "His wife was really nice, wasn't she?"

"She didn't say a lot, but you could tell that she rules the roost." Lois smiled. "Just consider it a look at how _our_ marriage is going to be."

"You think so." He raised his eyebrows at her. "Lets see how long that lasts when I decide to spend a few nights on the sofa."

"Which you'll then have to explain to your parents." She laughed softly.

"They'll call us what Dad's parents called them, 'Newlyweds'." He reached out for her hand that wore his grandmother's engagement ring and his wedding ring; he held that hand and sighed. "I was starting to wonder if I would ever get to hear that word."

"I can't believe that we're actually here." She looked at him with a smile. "It was a year ago tonight that our parents threw us at each other wondering what might happen."

"They were probably hoping that we wouldn't spend the evening arguing." He laughed and kissed her fingers.

"Even though we did." She shrugged. "But in the end it didn't matter, did it?"

"Not a bit." He shook his head. "In the run up to the wedding, I never got the chance to tell you that I always liked your idea of getting married today. It seemed fitting because a year ago, we realized that we were falling in love and we reaffirmed that with vows today."

"My husband the sap." She gave him a quick kiss.

"Which my wife would never admit that she likes." He kissed her just as quickly.

__

He liked being able to call her that.

"You've got plenty of time for that later." Dad chuckled as he walked his mother back to their table from the dance floor and held her seat for her.

"Where are Sam and Lucy?" Mom asked as she sat down.

"Michael needed to be changed, so Sam volunteered." Clark told his parents. "He seems to think he'll be changing more diapers before a year is up."

"That would be nice, wouldn't it?" She smiled at them. "It's been a long time since we've had a baby in the house."

"I think we've just been put on notice to produce a grandchild forthwith." Lois laughed as she looked at him and flushed again.

"We aren't saying that at all." Dad shook his head and then laughed as he looked at Lois. "But _your_ father is a different story."

"I suppose he's ordered us?"

"I wouldn't put it quite that way." His mother demurred with a smile.

"_I_ would." Lois stated. "Dad isn't one to mince words when he wants something. And he's made it clear that he'd like more grandchildren."

"And the sooner the better." Sam declared as he came back to the table, with Lucy trying to keep up. He handed Michael back to Lois and grinned. "This boy needs a cousin to play with."

"Dad." His daughters scolded him again and he laughed as he sat down.

"I can take him Lo." Lucy held out her arms and she shook her head.

"I think it's Clark's turn. He hasn't held Michael yet." She smiled at him.

"Me?" He wasn't expecting that.

"It's easy, just sit there and hold him in your lap." Lois instructed as she gave him the baby and laughed. "And hope he doesn't need his diaper changed again."

"Lois." He couldn't ever remember holding a baby and it was an odd experience. But then Michael put his head back on Clark's shoulder and looked him in the eye. It was almost as though he was telling his new uncle that he trusted him.

Then the baby started to giggle as his chubby fingers closed around Clark's and that got everyone else at the table to laugh. When Lois caught his eye, he had no doubt his face looked as warm as hers did.

"I give it _nine_ months." Lois' father changed his timeline and _she _rolled her eyes.

"But there's something we need to do first." He leaned over and told her quietly and she blushed.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to take Michael back to Dad's. It's been a long day for him and for me and I think we're going to take a nap." Lucy stood and picked the baby up from his lap. "Dad are you sure you don't mind us taking your room?"

"Take it. I've slept on things a lot less comfortable than my sofa." He nodded. "You've got a long day tomorrow too and you need to get some rest, unlike _these_ two."

"Stop that!" Lucy gave him a quick smack on the top of his head and then looked at her sister. "You should have eloped."

"I'm starting to think so, too." She looked at Clark as he tried to keep a straight face and failed. "And you aren't helping."

He couldn't help it; Lois and her father and sister weren't like the families he grew up around. They all spoke their minds and Sam seemed to take great pleasure in needling his daughters only because he knew that he'd get it right back.

As a general in the United States Army, he was used to unquestioning obedience from his soldiers. And he supposed that when Lois and Lucy were growing up, he expected it from them too. But now as grown women, he seemed to take pride in their small acts of rebellion; especially when he was egging them on to do it.

"Before you go, I'd like you to have this." Lois stood up and handed her bouquet to her sister.

"I can't take it." Lucy shook her head.

"Yes you can." She nodded. "Luce, you didn't get to have one of your own and it would mean a lot if you would take mine, please."

"Thank you." The sisters hugged a little awkwardly because of the baby and then Lois handed the bouquet to her. "Would you send me a copy of the photograph of the four of us? It'll be a nice reminder of today."

"When we go through them for the wedding album, I'll make sure and have some sent to you." She promised.

"Thanks Lo." They hugged again. "I'll be over with Dad in the morning so we can spend some of Christmas together before I have to fly home."

"I'd like that."

"Speaking of home, I think it's time that the two of you scoot." Dad looked at his watch.

"I'll have someone get their car while I get a car for Lucy." Sam got up and stood next to his daughter and took the baby out of her arms before he walked toward the lobby. "Let's get this grandson of mine home."

That left Lucy's arms free to hug her sister, and they hugged for a long moment. "I don't tell you this enough, but I do love you."

"I love you too. And I'm glad you were here today."

"So am I." And she smiled. "Be happy sis."

Lois smiled back at her. "I will and thanks for all your help today. Between you and Clark's mother, I was a lot less nervous than thought I'd be."

"That's what family's for." Lucy answered before she turned to Clark and hugged him. "Watch out for that one, she's got a temper."

"Hey." Lois protested good-naturedly.

"I know." He said as Lucy let him go. "But I decided to marry her anyway."

"I like that." She laughed and Clark had the sneaking suspicion that she wanted to give him a punch in the arm, but she didn't. So he took her hand instead.

"Marriage is something you can't explain because everyone's is different." Lucy smiled at them. "But from what I've seen today, yours is going to be a good one and I'm so happy for you both."

"You'll have to get Andrew out here eventually so he can meet everyone." Lois said to her, blinking away what Clark suspected were tears she was trying to hold back.

"And you'll have to get back our way so he can finally meet _you_." She answered and Clark saw Sam signaling from the lobby.

"I think your car is here." He mentioned and Lucy turned to let her father know she was coming.

"Well you have someplace you need to be too, so I'll say goodbye for now." She hugged her sister again. "See you tomorrow." And she skirted the dance floor before she met her father at the door.

"You have a very nice family Lois." Mom commented from behind them and they turned around.

"Lucy's great, but Dad has to grow on you." She smiled. "And he eventually does."

"I think _your_ car is here." Dad stood up and signaled Lois' father. "So why don't you get going now. I think you've got better things to do then jaw with your parents."

_This was it._

Clark's father came around the table and took his hand in a firm grip. "Treat her right son, and she'll always do the same for you."

"I know that Dad." He shook his hand. "I've watched you and Mom all these years."

His father nodded and kept his grip firm. "Be happy."

"We will." He assured him as Mom was hugging Lois before she turned her attention to her son.

"You waited a long time for her." She held him tight. "And now she's yours."

"And I'm hers." He couldn't help but add as he hugged her back and his father was hugging Lois. "She was worth the wait, Mom."

"I know that honey." She let him go. "On your way now. We'll see you tomorrow."

He took Lois' hand and walked with her to the lobby. Clark hadn't noticed that the club had cleared out and couldn't figure out why for a moment, until he saw the guests crowded there and he knew what was coming.

They were suddenly pelted with rice as they headed for the doors and while Lois got a quick hug from her father, his mother handed him Lois's coat. He dropped it over her shoulders and then took his overcoat from his father and shrugged into it before they made a run for his car.

And as he helped her to get in, he jogged around the back and saw the 'Just Married' sign attached to the back with strings of tin cans and old shoes tied to the bumpers.

And that's what they were, _just married._


	47. To Love, Honor and Cherish: Part I

Her hand was tucked in his and he could feel it trembling. He'd driven a good part of the way back from Fort Ryan with Lois' head on his shoulder and his right hand clasped in her left. He could feel the rings on her finger that were a testament to the vows they'd taken earlier that day and the weight of the ring on his left hand reinforced their commitment.

They were husband and wife in nearly every sense of the word.

They'd waited a long time to get to their wedding night and now that it was in front of them, they would finally be able to show the other how much they loved each other. And it was something he didn't really know that he would adequately be able to show her. But he was going to try.

The sun was down by time he brought the car to a stop next to the house and the first thing he noticed was that the porch light was on. The Christmas tree lights were also on and it looked like the floor lamp was too.

He didn't know why he looked up, but he did and there was a light on in their bedroom.

He'd wager that his parents were responsible for the house having such a welcoming feel. Perhaps to ease the nerves of the bride and groom that would be spending their wedding night within its walls.

"Mrs. Kent, we're home." Clark smiled as he said it.

"I like the sound of that." His new wife sighed.

"The sound of what? Mrs. Kent or that we're home?" _He couldn't help it._

"Both, actually." Lois sat up and smiled at him and he kissed her cheek before he shut down the engine and they sat together for a moment in the quiet of the car. "Clark?"

"What?"

"Are you nervous?" He felt her hand grip his and he squeezed back.

"I was nervous last night." Clark laughed.

"And for good reason." She laughed with him and then he squeezed her fingers again.

"Let's get inside, it's too cold to be out here."

She nodded as he let go of her hand and got out of the car. He walked around the front and when he opened her door, she looked so hesitant; it was one of those rare moments that Clark didn't know how to proceed.

He held his hand out to her and she took it as he helped her out. They stood next to the car looking at the house and Lois sighed. "I couldn't seem to wait for tonight and now that it's here, I just realized that we have the rest of our lives."

Clark grinned. "I guess that means I'm on the sofa tonight."

"Don't bet on it." She looked up at him and smiled. "So are you going to carry me in or do I have to walk?"

"You don't seriously expect me to carry you over the threshold, do you?" He raised his eyebrows at her and tried not to grin. "After you refused to 'obey'?"

"If you don't carry me into the house, you really _will_ sleep on the sofa." She put her hands on her hips. "And how will you explain that to your parents?"

"I'll just listen as you explain it to your father and crib your answer." He laughed softly as he got an arm around her back, caught her behind her knees and picked her up.

"I never would have taken you for a cheat." She put her arms around his neck. "If I'd known that, I might have reconsidered accepting your proposal."

"And I would have kept courting you until you said yes." He grinned as he carried her to the house. "If it worked for your dad, it would have worked for me."

"_My_ father gave you romantic advice?" She looked dubious. "Now I _know_ I should have reconsidered."

"Well, it's too late now." He shrugged. "You're stuck with me."

"That may be true." Lois smiled at him and when he stepped up on the porch, she leaned over and opened the door. "But I'll make sure that you don't regret it."

"I'm counting on it." He nodded just before he walked with her into the house and set her down on her feet. He closed the door and it was then he saw a fire burning in the fireplace and wondered how his parents had managed to pull it all off.

She took his hand again and put her cheek on his shoulder. "This reminds me of last Christmas Eve."

"But I don't think we'll be necking in the snow this year." He smiled.

She shook her head as she pushed herself up on her toes and kissed him. "Not in the snow."

He answered her gentle kiss and then smiled as he turned her around and slipped her coat off of her shoulders. He hung it up before he took his own coat off and hung it up as well before he took her hand again. "Let's see what other surprises they left for us."

Clark led her into the parlor and there were two glasses on a tray, resting on the coffee table. "They left us two champagne glasses." Lois laughed softly.

"Which means that there should be a bottle in the icebox." He deduced as he walked into the kitchen and, sure enough, a chilled bottle of champagne was sitting on the top shelf with a small envelope propped against it. It was addressed to 'Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent'; he really liked the sound of that.

He took the bottle back to the parlor and handed the envelope to Lois. As he opened the champagne bottle, she opened the envelope. She pulled out a card and read, 'Here's a little something to toast to your happiness. With love from Mom, Dad and the General'.

With a sudden 'pop', the cork came loose. Lois put the card down on the table and picked up the glasses. "Only mydad would sign a card 'From the General'", she laughed.

"I wonder where in the heck they found champagne, with everything being rationed?" He wondered as he filled the glasses and set the bottle down on the tray.

"Dad, more than likely." She smiled. "He has a touch like a velvet glove when the occasion calls for it."

"Not black market?" He frowned, though he already knew the answer.

Lois shook her head to confirm it as she handed a glass to him. "Not even for me."

"So what should we toast to?" Clark asked before he held up his glass. "To my beautiful wife, who has no idea what she's gotten herself into?"

"Or my handsome husband, who will often wonder what he's gotten _him_self into."

"That's fair." He laughed as they touched their glasses together and toasted. As they each took a sip, they looked at each other over the rims and he saw her face flush. "A whole bottle of champagne for one toast. It seems a shame to let it go to waste."

"It won't." Lois shook her head as she finished her glass and put it down. "Why don't you put that back in the icebox while I go upstairs?"

"Alone?"

"If we go up there together, we're going to start something that I'm not ready to start just yet." She put a hand on his cheek. "After you put the champagne away, see if you can find something on the radio that _isn't_ war news and I'll be back down before you know it."

"Don't take too long." He requested.

She smiled at him and walked out of the parlor. She got to the foot of the stairs before she stopped and smiled at him again, before she continued up.

Clark corked the bottle and took it back into the kitchen. He put it in the icebox and turned back for the parlor. He stopped in front of the radio and turned it on and while he waited for it to warm up, he walked to the fireplace. He got the poker and jabbed at the logs to keep them burning and he shook his head in perplexity.

How had he gotten so lucky to end up married to her when things between them had been so contentious in the beginning? But he answered his own question when he zeroed in on the reason.

He'd made her part of his cover. And because he'd introduced her as his girl, there were certain liberties that needed to be taken to make it as convincing as possible. It probably wasn't necessary to kiss her that night at the _Regent_ but he wanted to, if only to see if it would be as nice as he'd hoped it would be.

It was much nicer than he'd expected and it changed his life; it changed the way he felt about her.

He found himself back in front of the radio and turned the dial, trying to find some music. He found the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and they were playing, 'I'm Gettin' Sentimental Over You'.

Clark hoped he always would be, sentimental over Lois.

_She's right, you are a sap._

He looked at his watch and noticed that it had been awhile since she'd gone upstairs. He thought she would have been back in the parlor by then and decided to go check on her.

When he got upstairs, he knocked softly on the door in warning and opened it.

The first thing he noticed when he walked in was Lois, standing by the window. Her arms were wrapped around her waist in what he'd come to recognize as a defensive stance, still in her mother's dress and veil.

He also noticed that not only had the bed been turned down, but her nightdress and a pair of new pajamas for him were laid out as well.

__

His mother.

He probably shouldn't have smiled but couldn't seem to help himself because he was looking at his wife. And if he didn't know better, his wife was nervous which made him smile all the more because Lois wasn't the kind of a woman who easily _got_ nervous.

It must have been the nightdress and pajamas.

"You'd better wipe that smile off your face, buster." Her voice sounded shaky and she sighed. "This is all _your_ fault, you know."

"I know." He admitted happily.

"If you hadn't proposed to me and we'd gotten married today, I wouldn't be standing here with cold feet." She sighed again. "_Me_, with cold feet."

"And that's a bad thing?" He couldn't keep the bubble of laughter out of his voice. "I'm flattered."

"Don't flatter yourself." She huffed. "I've only been dreaming about this since you came home and now that it's finally here, I don't know what to do."

Clark walked to the window and came to a stop behind her and felt her body stiffen. She really _was_ nervous.He reached out carefully and put his hands on her shoulders and felt her start. "Just love me and let me love you and everything else will fall into place." He tried to reassure her as he slipped his hands down her arms and pulled her back against him. Her head dropped back on his shoulder and he smiled again. "Do you want me to help you with this?"

Lois shook her head. "I want you to go back downstairs and wait for me. This wasn't how I'd planned on our wedding night going."

"I could, but we'll just be coming back up again soon anyway." His voice was soft so he wouldn't spook her.

"And let you miss out on your chance to carry me up the stairs?" A laugh seemed to catch in her throat and she sighed again, but it didn't sound as nervous.

"Lois, I've already carried you up the stairs." He grinned. "What's the fun in that?"

"The fun is, you don't have to leave me standing in the doorway while you go back down to sleep on the sofa." And he felt her arms cover his as she finally relaxed. "Don't you _want_ to carry me?"

He wanted to do a _lot_ more than carry her, and felt his face burn at the thought of it.

"We will." She seemed to read his thoughts.

"Are you sure I can't help you?" He asked as he dropped a kiss on the soft skin between her shoulder and her neck and smiled as she sighed contentedly. "Not even a little bit?"

"Any help you give me is going to end up with us in that bed and that's not the way I want this to go." She shook her head.

"Don't I have _any_ say in this?" He kissed her again, just slightly higher and she rolled her head to the side. "Not one word?"

"Out." She laughed softly and seemed reluctant to step out of his embrace, but she did. "This is the only wedding night we'll ever have and I want to make it memorable."

"I think that's the general idea behind a wedding night." He answered her soft laugh and decided to try one last time. "Lois?"

"Out." She insisted.

"I love you."

"I love you too; but it's not going to work." She took her place back in front of the window and Clark stood behind her. "The longer you stand there and try to convince me to let you stay, the longer it's going to take for us to get back up here, together." She added for emphasis and he knew she was serious.

"I still love you." He laughed.

"And you're still leaving." She wouldn't budge, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I'm still leaving." He conceded with a sigh as he walked over to the freshly made bed and picked up the pajamas. His heart picked up a nervous flutter and his hands started to shake. "I'll take a quick shower, unless you want to get in there first. And then I'll meet you downstairs."

"You go ahead. It's going to take a little time to get out of this." She told him.

"I don't mind helping." He grinned because he knew what her answer was going to be.

"Out."

"Just don't say that I never offered to help." He laughed again and headed for the door.

Clark made quick work of his shower and headed back downstairs as he said he would. He found himself back in front of the fireplace contemplating the night ahead, hoping he wouldn't disappoint her.

He grabbed the poker and pushed the logs into a new arrangement so that the flames would spread and keep burning. Clark readily admitted to himself that it gave his nervous hands something to do while he waited for his bride, for Lois to come downstairs.

He resumed his stance at the mantle, watching to make sure the fire would continue to burn and listened to it crackle when he caught the gentle scent of lilacs and felt a pair of arms slip around his waist. Her body was pressed against his back and her cheek came to rest between his shoulder blades.

"That's a nice fire." Lois' words came out softly and he sensed that she was just as nervous as he was.

He put his hands over hers and then took them into a gentle grasp. "Give me a chance and _I_ can build one."

His voice was just as soft and he wondered if she heard the true meaning in his words. She apparently did because her body moved closer against his and he heard the humor in her tone. "If it's anything like the one going there, we're liable to burn the house down."

"If we're lucky." He smiled and kissed her fingers.

"Oh you're going to get lucky, don't worry about that." She laughed.

"I'd say we _both_ are, wouldn't you?" He grinned.

"Not if you keep talking."

"Then I guess we should stop talking." Clark kissed her fingers again before he loosened her hold and turned around in her arms. The thought came to him again about what a lucky man he was as he held his new wife in his arms, looking more beautiful than he could ever have imagined.

He recognized the nightdress she was wearing from last Christmas Eve morning, the first time he'd ever seen her less that fully dressed and his heart was reacting much the same way it had a year ago. He didn't know how she was staying warm because the sheer robe she wore over it wasn't meant for that.

She'd loosened her hair and the mass of it was a tumble of curls around her shoulders and he swallowed nervously at the sight of it.

"Well are you going to stand there staring at me or are you going to kiss me?" Lois' face was flushed as she smiled at him. "The whole idea of not talking is supposed to mean that you put your lips right here." She tapped a finger on her lips.

"Lois if I start kissing you now, we're going to have a hell of a time getting up those stairs." He leveled a look at her.

"We've got all night." She gave him a shrug of unconcern, just before she kissed him.

"We may have all night, but I don't want to spend it trying to get up to the bedroom." He sighed as he picked her up and headed to the stairs with his wife in his arms.

"That could be half the fun." Lois teased him with a laugh before she put her head down on his shoulder as he carried her upstairs. The closer he got to the bedroom, he could feel the rapid beat of his heart and hoped _she_ didn't feel how badly he was trembling.

He nudged the bedroom door open with his shoulder and walked inside before he pushed it closed behind them.

"Clark, in case you hadn't noticed we _are_ alone. I don't think that's really necessary."

He set her down on her feet and put his hands on her shoulders. "I don't have any idea when our parents are coming back tomorrow and they won't have any idea when we'll be getting out of bed." And he could feel his face flush in anticipation. "So I closed that to save them and us some unforeseen embarrassment."

"You're a good son."

"I hope to be an even better husband."

She put her arms around his neck and stepped into his waiting arms. "So far, I don't have any complaints."

"I can do better." He promised her.

"Show me." She requested and he kissed her.

Clark had told her earlier that everything would fall into place when they got to the point they had, and it did. He didn't know if it was instinct or just the love he felt for her, or maybe both. But after she loosened the buttons of his pajama top and pushed it off his shoulders, his hands brushed the robe off of hers and everything from there felt like a wonderful dream.

A kiss here, a touch there, a nightdress eventually dropped to the floor and pajama bottoms followed, before he carried her to their bed and joined her.

He tried his best to keep his promise to build a fire with her. And when the time finally came, she welcomed him in the most intimate way a wife can welcome her husband and he thanked her for it in the most intimate way a husband can thank his wife. She held him close and whispered to him how much she loved him and he answered her in kind as he loved her, completely and repeatedly.

And she did her best to repay his kindness in full as he whispered to her how much he loved her too.

oooooo

Clark couldn't remember the last time he'd slept so well or felt so content, and the reason for his contentment was the sleeping woman in his arms, his wife.

He still couldn't quite believe it. He was a little surprised that they'd managed to get the sleep they did because it seemed the moment they would finish making love, a touch or a caress or a soft kiss would start everything all over again.

He thought about that with a smile and then heard a soft laugh. He felt the vibration of it against his chest and he grinned.

"You're naked." She stated the obvious as she kissed his chin, her eyes still closed. He couldn't remember the last time she'd kissed him there.

"So are you." He answered and kissed her shoulder.

"I don't know about you Agent Kent, but I got what _I_ wanted for Christmas." Her sleepy voice sounded happy and he knew how she felt.

"So did I, Mrs. Kent." He wanted so much to kiss her, but there would be time for that later; she needed to rest.

"Merry Christmas, Clark." She said as she opened her eyes and he could swear she was purring.

"Merry Christmas, Lois." He replied. "And in case I haven't told you in the last few hours, I love you."

"I love you, too." She sighed and then laughed again. "But I'm starving. When are our parents getting here?"

He shook his head in amusement and kissed her cheek. "We don't need to wait for our parents, _I_ can cook you breakfast."

She feigned a frown. "But that means we have to get out of bed."

"I could always bring you something." He offered and she shook her head.

"That means you have to leave me in this bed by myself and I'm not going to let you do that."

"Then come with me." He smiled. "I don't really like the idea of leaving you up here alone either."

She looked as though she wanted to say something, but didn't quite know how. "Clark?"

"What is it?" He asked as he brushed a lock of hair away from her face.

"Thank you."

He shook his head in confusion. "For what?"

"For everything. For loving me, for marrying me and showing me what making love really means." And she flushed.

"And we did." He grinned.

"A lot." She kissed his chest.

"Lois." What was she doing, she should be resting.

She looked at him and smiled. "As much as I like that idea, I like the idea of eating even more."

"Then let's get downstairs and see if we can't scrounge something up." He nodded and then sat up, only to feel her soft hand glide down his back. "Lois."

She laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not about to start something."

_She already had_,whether she realized or not but it would have to wait.

It shouldn't have felt so awkward, getting dressed in front of his wife, but it did and Clark had to tell himself that time would take care of that.

She'd put on her regular robe over her nightdress and he couldn't help but tease her about that. "I guess the honeymoon is already over."

"Not by a long shot, buster." Lois smiled at him as he took her hand and walked with her down to the parlor. The Christmas tree lights were still on, but the fire had long since died out. The radio was still on too and Christmas carols were playing.

He got a fire going and Lois was curled up on the sofa, watching him. It was unlike any other Christmas morning he could remember and he knew there would never be one quite like it again.

"Would you mind if we opened our presents before our family gets here?" Lois asked him. "I didn't get you anything special, but this morning _is_."

"It sure is." Clark agreed and walked to the tree. He found a long, slender box meant for him and a square box for her. He sat down next to her and asked her to open hers first. Mom had helped him with the idea and he hoped Lois would like it.

When she got the wrapping off of the box and opened it, he held his breath a little as he watched her. She looked at him and smiled. "A charm bracelet."

"I figured that it could be a record of our courtship, even before we knew it was a courtship." He said as he explained the different charms that were already on the bracelet and how he would give her another charm for their anniversaries and any children they would have.

"After last night, anything's possible." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "How on earth did you find these?" She asked him as she studied the different charms.

"I was lucky, really. I wanted to get a platinum bracelet for you, but since platinum isn't available for the duration, the jeweler suggested white gold. After I told him what I wanted to do he helped me with everything else. I hope you like it."

"It's something you put a lot of thought into and I love it." She kissed his cheek again before she handed him the bracelet and extended her arm. "It'll be a nice way to remember the milestones in our life." He fastened it around her wrist and then she indicated the box that sat in his lap. "Open yours."

He tore off the wrapping paper and opened the box; it was a wristwatch.

"There's an inscription." Lois told him and he took the watch out of the box and turned it over. 'CJK and LJK married 12-24-42'. "Dad told me that Mom did that for him when _they_ got married and it's the watch I've seen him wear ever since I could remember. I liked the idea and wanted to do that for you."

He put the watch on his wrist and secured the watchband before he kissed her cheek. "Thank you honey, it's perfect."

"Just remember to wind it." She laughed. "Dad forgets to do that sometimes and he can't figure out why he's running late."

"I won't forget because you won't let me." He teased.

"That's true." She nodded as he heard soft voices on the porch.

He looked at his new wristwatch and it was still early, but he knew Lois' sister needed to fly out, to get home. "It looks like we have company."

"I don't suppose we could lock the door?" Lois smiled at him and he shook his head.

"Sorry honey, no locks."

"Damn." She laughed as their parents and her sister walked in.

Their first Christmas morning together was cut short, but he knew they would have more time together once they settled into their suite at the _Regent_.

And he couldn't wait.


	48. To Love, Honor and Cherish: Part II

The whole day had been dreamy and romantic and unforgettable.

Lois had been surprised by the unexpected appearance of her sister and her nephew at the wedding, while her father had gifted her with her favorite bandleader at the reception. But mostly, the man she loved more than anything was now her husband.

It hadn't really sunk in that they were married until after she'd left Clark downstairs in the parlor, so that she could change. When she walked into the bedroom, she found the bed turned down and her nightdress laid out at the foot. A pair of pajamas for him was laid out next to it and it was then that she really and truly realized that they wouldn't have to wait any longer.

And it was then that she realized that she was afraid of disappointing him.

But she shouldn't have worried because he was right; everything fell into place once he got her back upstairs. When he got her into their bed, she was finally able to love him the way she'd wanted to so desperately the night before. And as he loved her in return, she was grateful that he had postponed it because if they'd gone through with it the night before their wedding, she knew that it wouldn't have been the same.

She didn't have any idea what time it was as she sat alone on the parlor sofa, thinking about that.

It hadn't been an easy thing leaving her sleeping husband alone in their bed, but the enormity of what had happened to them that day left her mind reeling and she needed some time to herself in the quiet; without the distraction of his warm embrace.

Martha had been right to urge her to relax the morning of the wedding because the closer it got for them to leave for Fort Ryan; they each were remembering last minute details.

It was something of a madhouse as they got her dress, shoes, veil and makeup bag into the car. Added to the pandemonium, was the added challenge of trying to keep her hair in place. They'd discussed what would be easier; to put it up at the chapel or at home and it was decided that it would make things easier if her hair was already up. They could repair it if necessary at the chapel a lot more quickly than trying to beat the clock and put it up there.

It still stumped her how her new mother in law could have done for her and Clark what she did and then it dawned on her. Martha had disappeared for a time and it hadn't really registered because her father and Jonathan always had a plausible reason why she wasn't in the room.

Add to that, she'd spent a lot of time talking to her sister, holding her nephew or dancing with Clark.

He'd forewarned her, as she was planning the wedding, that he had two left feet when it came to dancing. But if that were true, she couldn't tell because he was smooth and graceful as he held her. When she pointed that out, he bashfully admitted to taking dance lessons so he wouldn't embarrass her.

"I learned the foxtrot, the jitterbug and the rumba." He told her about the different dances he'd learned and then shook his head in disgust. "All though who ever invented the rumba ought to be stood up against a wall and shot."

He'd done it for _her_, though. And as if she needed another reason for being glad that she married him, the fact that he went through the torture of learning to dance, it made her that much happier. But she knew that was exactly why he'd endured it, because it would make her happy.

"If I didn't know that you loved me so much, I might have a bruised ego." Clark's low voice was close to her ear and husky with sleep. "I wake up and find that my beautiful bride isn't where I thought she would be."

"I just needed to think." She told him.

"About good things, I hope." He dropped a kiss in her hair and walked around the back of the sofa, to sit down next to her and take her hand.

"Very good things." She nodded and then sighed as she put her head on his shoulder. "I kept worrying that something was going to go wrong today and then I started to worry when nothing did." She shrugged. "Even when we finally made love, it was perfect."

"That's because the time was finally right." He told her. "If we'd gone ahead with it last night, it might _not_ have been."

"I know." Lois nodded in agreement. "Thank you for making me wait."

"You're welcome." He kissed her cheek and slipped his hand out of hers before he stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"If we're going to stay down here for awhile, I thought that a fire would be nice." He turned for a moment and grinned at her. "You were too impatient earlier to enjoy the last one."

"And for good reason, don't you think?" She smiled back as she watched him walk to the fireplace and put the fire screen aside.

"I'm not going to argue with you about that." He commented as he got the poker and stirred up the embers before he grabbed some newspaper and kindling.

"While you're doing that, I'm going to get the champagne out of the icebox." Lois told him as she got up from the sofa. "It seems a shame to let it go to waste."

"And your plan is to get me drunk and take advantage of me, no doubt."

"As if you would object." She laughed as she walked toward the kitchen.

"I'd look forward to it." He called after her and laughed as well.

Lois found the champagne glasses where they left them on the counter and washed them out. She smiled to herself as she remembered Martha's admonishing her for doing her breakfast dishes that morning and could just hear her again. 'Lois, you shouldn't be washing those out, it's your wedding night.'

She padded over to the icebox and pulled the bottle out and shook her head, they'd hardly touched it. Maybe they could do something about that before going back upstairs.

She put the bottle and the clean glasses on a tray and carried it out to the parlor.

Lois found herself smiling as she walked in because not only had Clark gotten a fire started, but it he'd put a couple of blankets down in front of the fireplace.

"I'm guessing that you have a good reason for putting those down there." She put the tray down on the coffee table and put her hands on her hips.

His face flushed as he laughed. "I was thinking that between the fire and the champagne that I might have a pretty good chance of seducing you."

__

Who knew that marriage would make him so bold?

"You think so?" She cocked an eyebrow at him. "You seem pretty sure of yourself."

"I'm sure that I love you." He shrugged. "And I look at it this way. Our first time together, we made love in our bed because it was what you wanted. But when I thought about tonight, about finally having the chance to be with you, this is what _I_ thought about."

"Then why didn't you say something?" She stepped toward him. "When it's all said and done, it wouldn't have mattered to me _where _we made love, just as long as we did."

"But it's what _you_ wanted that mattered to me Lois." He explained as he took her hands in his. "If the situation presented itself, as it suddenly has, I would have taken it. But if we had spent the entire night upstairs, I would have been happy with that because we would have still been together."

__

He was sweet.

"Well since we did things the way _I_ wanted first, I think it's only fair that we do things you're way this time." She smiled at him. "Don't you think?"

"Are you sure about this?"

_Don't roll your eyes Lois._ "If I weren't, I wouldn't have suggested it."

"Point taken." He grinned and let go of her hands, only to walk to the coffee table and pick up the champagne bottle. "So the only question left is, are we going to finish this off?"

Lois' smile grew. "There's only one way to find out."

"What do you think my parents would say if we asked them to go stay with your dad _every_ Christmas Eve so we could relive this on our anniversary?" He laughed as he filled the glasses and handed one to her before picking up the other.

"They might not mind, but what would we do about kids? Kick them out with their grandparents?" Kids were suddenly a very real possibility and she blushed.

"We wouldn't be very good parents if we did that, would we?" His face flushed too, as he seemed to realize the same thing.

"Do you think we're going to be good parents?" Of all things to worry about on her wedding night.

"I think we have some good examples to raise children with." He nodded. "Your dad's toughness and my parent's kindness will make a good mix. And if they have your dad's sense of humor, that would be okay with me too."

"You can't be serious." Lois was incredulous. "Dad doesn't _have_ a sense of humor."

"Sure he does, it just takes the right situation to bring it out. Dad thinks he's funny as hell sometimes."

Her eyebrows shot up. "But I'm sure that he didn't put it _quite_ that way."

"I don't think I've ever heard him curse, Mom either." Clark laughed and shook his head. "I never did until I got out into the world and I've been trying to get away from it since I got home."

"I'm glad to hear that because I've been trying to watch it around your parents too." She admitted. "Working in a nightclub can be a bad influence."

"Well now that you'll be running the place, maybe you can do something about that." He suggested. "With Lex out of the picture and Lionel giving you a free hand, you can really class up the joint."

"It still isn't a place I'd want your parents or my dad to frequent." Lois shook her head.

"Then change that." Clark urged her. "If you feel that strongly about it, I'll back what ever you decide to do."

_Were they really talking about the Falcon_,now_?_

"You know what I feel strongly about?" She sighed.

"What's that?" He grinned.

"About how completely unromantic this conversation has become." She took a sip of her champagne. "I'd rather talk about kids than the _Falcon_."

"I'd rather not talk at all." He stated.

"What a surprise." Her face warmed again. "I don't suppose that I need to ask what you'd rather do."

"If you put that champagne glass down, I'll show you." He requested as he put his own down on the coffee table and waited for her to set hers down. When she did, he took her hand and led her to the radio.

"You want to dance?" _He had to be kidding._

"For starters." He pulled her close and they began to dance to 'Snowfall'. Clark smiled at her and she felt his hand caress her back. "This was the first song we danced to after I realized I was falling in love with you."

"You know I didn't even think about it until now, but 'Snowfall' _should_ have been our first dance." Why hadn't it occurred to her? "Because I was falling in love with you too."

"Why _did_ we pick 'Moonlight Serenade'?" He wondered.

"Because it was the first song we danced to after you kissed me." She reminded him.

Clark grinned again. "Now _this _will be the first song we danced to on our wedding night."

"And if you have your way, it's going to be the _only_ song we dance to." Lois couldn't help but laugh as he drew her close and she sighed with contentment.

"I don't hear you objecting." His stubble roughened cheek rubbed against her softer one and her heart fluttered.

"That's because I'm objecting on the inside."

"Well, while you're silently objecting would you mind if I kissed you?" He pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Because it's been awhile."

"I'd object if you didn't." She said and didn't wait for him to kiss her. And when he kissed her back, he didn't waste any time picking her up bodily and walking with her to the fireplace to fulfill his wish for their wedding night.

oooooo

She thought about that the next morning as they sat on the sofa, opening their Christmas presents.

They could have opened them with their family there, but since it was their first Christmas together as a married couple Lois wanted to make it special.

Clark had joked about having the house to themselves on their first anniversary, but realistically it probably wasn't going to happen. And, realistically, it wasn't fair to his parents.

As he handed her the gift he'd picked out for her, he looked nervous. She got the idea that he was worried about disappointing her but he shouldn't have because she was touched by his thoughtfulness.

It was a charm bracelet.

And it was something he'd obviously put a lot of thought into because on the links of the bracelet hung a small microphone, what looked to be a scrolled up newspaper, a locomotive and a tiny heart locket. He had also included a little wedding ring, a wedding cake and... a cow? Leave it to her farm boy to think of that.

She had no idea how he'd managed it and while she studied the charms; he told her that he would give her more for their anniversaries and children that would come along.

There they were, talking about kids again.

He put the bracelet on her wrist and she urged him to open the gift she'd gotten for him. In contrast to what he'd done for her, Lois' gift to him paled in comparison in her mind and she wished she could take it back and find something else. But it was something her mother had done for her father when _they_ had gotten married.

It was in that spirit that she'd chosen a watch and had it engraved with their initials and their wedding date. It wasn't much, but she could see how touched he was as he put the watch on his wrist and secured the watchband before he kissed her cheek. "Thank you honey, it's perfect."

"Just remember to wind it." She laughed. "Dad forgets to do that sometimes and he can't figure out why he's running late."

"I won't forget because you won't let me." He teased.

"That's true." She nodded and heard soft voices on the porch.

Lois saw him look at his new wristwatch because it was still early, but Lucy needed to fly out soon, to get home. "It looks like we have company."

"I don't suppose we could lock the door?" Lois smiled at him and he shook his head.

"Sorry honey, no locks."

"Damn." She laughed as their parents and her sister stepped just inside the door.

"Is everybody decent?" She looked at Clark and rolled her eyes, _the General_.

"Come on in." He tried not to laugh as he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Much as I wish we weren't."

"Hey!" She admonished him quietly with a quick jab in the ribs and he laughed. "Parents are present."

"So Lo, did you two polish off that bottle we gave you?" Her father asked as he walked into the parlor with his nephew in his arms.

"Dad." Lucy scolded him with a smack on his shoulder as she followed behind. "That's none of your darn business."

"It _is_ nearly empty." Clark's father held it up and was trying valiantly not to grin.

"Jonathan." It was Martha's turn to chide with a shake of her head and barely concealed smile. "The kids are entitled to their privacy."

"It's interesting that you should say that Martha, because once they get back from their honeymoon, they won't have much." Lois' father grinned that them. "So they might as well get used to it now."

"Dad." Lois and Lucy chimed in together and all he did was laugh.

"Lighten up Lo, it's Christmas and your sister is here." His grin softened into a smile. "It's the first time in a long time that I've had both of my girls home at the same time."

"What do you say Luce? Should we let him off the hook?" Lois looked at her younger sister.

"Seeing as how this _is_ Michael's first Christmas with his grandpa and Aunt Lo, I guess we should." Lucy shrugged and then amended. "Of course, he's got a new uncle too."

"Which will be good practice for becoming a father." Lois closed her eyes in embarrassment at her father's comment and shook her head. "It's not out of the realm of possibility, you know." He persisted and Lucy scolded her father again.

"Honestly Dad."

"Why don't you two go upstairs and get dressed for breakfast?" Martha came to the rescue. "And if you haven't finished your packing, you might take care of that too. We'll get breakfast ready."

"And don't get sidetracked." Lois' father called after them as Clark walked her out of the parlor, toward the stairs.

Lois turned long enough to glare at him and all he did was laugh as they headed upstairs.

"Honey, he's only doing that because he's happy for you, you know that." Clark tried to soothe her as they walked down the hall toward their room.

"I know." She reluctantly agreed. "But does he have to be _that_ happy?"

"He wouldn't be your dad if he weren't." He laughed as he tightened his hold on her hand. "Just be grateful that he was here to give you away yesterday. You were so worried that he would be shipped to the ETO before the wedding."

"I'm beginning to rethink that." She glanced at him.

"Lois." He pulled her close and kissed her cheek. "You know you don't mean that."

"I don't mean it." She sighed. "But I can't help but think what he's going to say when the time comes to have a baby."

"He'll be worse." He laughed.

"I know that too." Lois sighed again as they walked into the room and he closed the door behind them. She came face to face with the rumpled bed and felt her face warm.

"If we get sidetracked, we'll never hear the end of it." Clark commented softly as his hands came down gently on her shoulders.

"That's not what I was thinking about, actually." She smiled.

"What _were _you thinking about?"

"It's silly. But I was thinking that when we make the bed, it'd be like nothing happened." Lois shrugged.

"Honey, a made bed doesn't change anything. Because we know something wonderful happened." He tried to reassure her. "But if it makes you feel any better, we can rumple the bed at the _Regent_ as soon as we check in."

"Very funny."

"Coming from a girl who thought that I didn't have a sense of humor when she met me." He dropped a kiss in her hair. "Let's get the bed made before your dad comes up after us."

"And he would too." She couldn't help but laugh as he walked around to the opposite side of the bed. They made it in silence and when they were done, they looked across at each other and smiled. "The question now is, are you going to help me every morning from now on?"

"When I'm home I will." He promised with a nod. "So do you want to get in the bathroom first? I can finish packing while you do."

"We _can_ actually share the bathroom, you know." Lois pointed out. "It would save some time."

"You wouldn't mind?" Clark's face flushed and she couldn't help but smile.

"Would _you_?"

"I just figured that living with my parents, you might want privacy where you could get it."

"Clark, you seem to forget that I've already lived with your parents and everything was fine."

"True, but you weren't my wife before _or_ their daughter in law. Never mind that we weren't sleeping together yet." He seemed to feel the need to point out the obvious.

"But it doesn't _feel_ any different, except that you're not downstairs on the sofa." She reminded him.

"That's _one _of the benefits of being married." He grinned. "So what do you want to do?"

"Just give me time to get into the shower and you can come in and shave, if you want to."

"We really _are_ married, aren't we?" His grin got wider.

"For better or worse, G-man." She kissed him. "For better or worse."


	49. Honeymoon in Metropolis

"Would you put me down, please? This is so silly." Lois protested weakly and Clark just smiled at her.

The bellman of the _Regent Hotel _was trying not to smile himself at her objection as he opened the door to Lionel Luthor's suite. And as he carried their suitcases in and took them to the bedroom, Clark followed behind and put Lois down on her feet.

"Now what kind of a husband would I be if I didn't carry my bride over the threshold?" He smiled at her.

"You did that last night, remember?" Her face was flushed. "Or wasn't it that memorable?"

"It was memorable." His own face warmed at the thought. He put his hand in his pocket to withdraw some money to tip the bellman as he came back out, but he shook his head.

"That's all right Mr. Kent, Mr. Luthor has taken care of it." He put his hand up to stop Clark. "He's also told us that if there is anything that you or Mrs. Kent need to let us know. He's also given us strict instructions that during your stay with us, anything you order is to be put on his tab."

"That's very decent of him." Clark remarked as he was given the room key.

"Enjoy your stay." The bellman nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"We will." Lois laughed as she made a slow circuit of the room.

"Lois." He admonished her with a smile because he knew they would, too. As she continued to explore, he walked to the large picture window and pulled the curtains back. It was a hell of a view of Metropolis and he swore that he could almost see Smallville.

What caught his attention next was a large bouquet of red roses and a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket on a table by the window. Clark wasn't much of a drinking man, but he'd had more champagne in the last two days then he'd had in his whole life.

He noticed an envelope on the table in front of the flowers and picked it up. It was addressed to 'Mr. and Mrs. Clark Kent' and he smiled. He couldn't help but wish that it would never become commonplace to hear Lois referred to as 'Mrs. Kent'.

He opened it and pulled a small card out. 'Congratulations and best wishes to you both. Lionel Luthor'

"Clark, you have to see the setup in here. It's like a palace." Lois called him from the bedroom and he followed the sound of her voice to the open door, the card still in his hand.

"Would you believe this? It's almost as big as my entire apartment was at the _Falcon_." She commented and it couldn't have gone without notice that the bed was already turned down, with a single red rose resting on each pillow.

It certainly hadn't gotten past his.

"You think that's a hint?" She laughed softly.

"If only it were that subtle." He grinned back and put his hands on her shoulders. They were trembling slightly and he wondered if she were thinking about the previous night and what the coming night was going to be like. "Come on, I've got something to show you too."

He squeezed her shoulders and then let go as she turned for the door and preceded him out of the room, where she saw the flowers and champagne. "He thought of everything, didn't he?"

"He thinks a lot of _you_ Lois." He remarked as he handed her the card so she could read it.

"He thinks a lot of you too, you know." Lois told him. "After you asked me to marry you, he told me that he couldn't have hoped for a finer young man to be my husband."

"It was nice of him to say that." The words were inadequate to describe what Clark felt, to hear that from someone Lois respected so much.

"He only told me something I already knew." She kissed his cheek.

"Thank you honey." He kissed her cheek in return. "So what do you want to do?"

"You have to ask?" She laughed and tucked her hand through his elbow. He couldn't remember the last time she'd done that and instinctively, his arm tightened before she rest her cheek on his arm. "There's a turned down bed in there I _know_ we could make good use of."

"We could." He dipped his head and kissed her softly. "But something tells me that you have something else in mind first."

"Did you get a load of that dining room? I've never seen anything so elegant." She sighed. "And seeing as how it's almost lunchtime."

"You want to go downstairs and eat." He finished for her.

"And there's a swing band playing in the ballroom later tonight." Lois continued. "You can put your new dancing skills to use."

"Whatever you want Lois is fine with me." Clark smiled.

"Well, what do _you_ want to do?" She stood back and caught his eye. "This shouldn't just be about what _I_ want."

"I'd like to take you to dinner at Antonio's, for one." He told her. "Our engagement dinner was interrupted and I never had the chance to take you back and make up for it."

"Clark, you married me. I think that makes us even."

"Just the same, I'd like to do that." He persisted.

"Dinner at Antonio's." Lois nodded in agreement. "But there _is_ one thing I'd really like to do."

"What would that be?" _Did he really have to ask?_

She answered him by putting her arms around his neck. "Do you realize that it's been _hours_ since you've kissed me?"

"Hours?" He teased. "I _just_ kissed you."

"Pfft." She frowned. "As nice as that was, it wasn't what I meant."

"Well then, you'll have to show me what you mean because _I_ thought that kiss was perfectly fine." Clark put his arms around her and pulled her close.

"It was, but it's not the sort of kiss a bride expects from her groom." Lois shrugged.

"Are you sure you don't want to take advantage of that bed?" He grinned. "Because that's what it's starting to sound like to me."

She rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically. "If you insist. I guess lunch can wait."

"Far be it for me to deprive my wife of a meal."

"Better to deprive your wife of a meal than deprive her of her husband." She pushed herself up on her toes and kissed him. "And I think I'd rather have you than lunch right now."

"If you insist." Clark picked her up and walked with her to the bedroom.

"I insist." She told him as he carried her inside and she closed the door behind them.

oooooo

"You realize that it _is_ almost time for dinner." Lois had felt the need to point out the obvious to her husband, as they lay curled up together on the sofa. They'd never made it downstairs for lunch and she wondered how it was that they'd made it out of the bedroom.

It was almost as though they'd each felt that there was so much time to make up for and leaving their bed wasn't an option they wanted to consider. But a chill had begun to settle in the room and Clark got up to turn on the radiator.

But Lois had noticed a fireplace in the main room of the suite earlier and had asked him if he would build a fire for them because it would be so much cozier.

He'd done as she asked and by the time she'd wandered out of the bedroom, he'd also opened the champagne and a glass was waiting for her. "A fellow could get used to this."

"The accommodations or me?" She'd smiled as she took the glass from him and he'd kissed her.

"Both." He'd admitted with a smile.

"So are we going to order room service or go down to the dining room?" Lois asked as Clark refilled her glass and she took a sip.

"Eating in the dining room was your idea, so it's up to you." He deflected her question. "I'm perfectly happy staying here."

"It _does _have its advantages." She admitted with a nod.

"Being _married _has its advantages." He added with a laugh. "I won't be cold at night anymore."

"So all I am to you is a bed warmer?" Lois raised an eyebrow at him and tried not to smile. "As far as your not being cold at night anymore, that's only going to work when you're home."

"You could always come with me." He suggested with a smile. "Then it wouldn't be an issue."

"I'm sure that the FBI would approve of that." She quipped. "If they let all of their married agents start carting their wives around the country with them, they wouldn't be able to do their jobs."

"But at least I'd be warm." Clark deadpanned. "And you would too."

"Shelby can keep me warm while your gone." She gave him a pointed look and he laughed.

"You'd never last a night with him because you'd be sneezing."

"I'll put a clothespin on my nose." Lois smiled back at him and he kissed her cheek. "I won't even miss you."

"I'll make sure you do." He assured her just before he kissed her. She kissed him back and as she did so, felt the glass being slipped out of her hand and Clark's arms come around her waist. She put her arms around his neck and sighed as he pressed her back on to the sofa cushions before he followed her.

"We're not going to make it downstairs for dinner, are we?" Her own voice sounded oddly breathless as his lips brushed her cheek and then her ear.

"Doesn't look like it." His voice rumbled in her ear. "Any objections?"

All she could manage to do was shake her head because she didn't want to talk any more, so he nodded and kissed her again. She tightened her arms to keep him where he was, when she heard a soft knock at the door.

"Ignore it." He told her before he went back to kissing her and there was another knock.

"I don't think we can." Lois sighed as she loosened her hold. "I don't think they're going to go away."

"Damn." He sighed and reluctantly sat up, but couldn't seem to help smiling at her as he helped her up. "I guess we should get used to it."

"Your parents won't be so insistent." She answered as he stood and walked to the door.

"I know." He threw over his shoulder and opened it. "Yes?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you sir, but this was delivered a few minutes ago with instructions to give it to you as quickly as possible."

_The honeymoon was over_;Lois sighed, before it really had a chance to get started.

She'd bet a dollar to a doughnut hole that Clark was being recalled for duty and he seemed to sense the same thing because he hesitated for a moment before taking the proffered envelope. "Can you tell me who delivered this?"

"A courier, sir." He answered. "If you'll excuse me, I need to get back down to the front desk and let him know that you received it."

"Thank you." She heard him sigh again and he closed the door before turning to face her, holding up the envelope. "One guess as to what this is."

"You're being sent on assignment." Lois stated as he opened it and pulled out two typed sheets of paper. He scanned the information and nodded.

"Mr. Kelly has personally apologized for interrupting our honeymoon, but he says that _all_ agents on leave, vacation and even honeymoons are being recalled as of tomorrow morning. Reports of fifth column activity are on the rise and agents are needed all over the country to investigate."

"I guess I shouldn't complain that they want their best agent back on the job." She smiled at him as he joined her on the sofa and she kissed his cheek.

"Spoken like a loyal wife." His face flushed at her praise. "Mr. Kelly also said that he's not happy about the order, so he's giving me until late tomorrow afternoon to report to Kansas City."

Lois frowned in concern. "But if he does that for you, he can get in a lot of hot water with Washington."

"He's aware of that and he knows he's bending the rules." Clark took her hand. "But he also knows that the Bureau kept us both in the dark about the real reason I was brought back to Kansas and he considers this a fair trade. Mr. Kelly doesn't take deceit lightly, especially when it comes down from the pencil pushers in Washington."

"So now we have to cram four days into a little more than twenty-four hours."

"That's about it." He nodded. "So how about walking next door to Antonio's for dinner."

"Like this?" She teased.

"As much as I'd enjoy that, I rather the other fellows there didn't." He shook his head with a smile. "If you like, we can come back to the hotel after we're done eating and go dancing."

"Will we have time for the breakfast buffet in the morning? Lionel says that he never misses it." She answered his question with a nod, even as she asked her own.

"If we get down there early enough." He nodded in answer. "I need to get you home so that I have plenty of time to get to Kansas City. Mr. Kelly's being more than fair about letting me report in late and I'd rather not get him in any more trouble. Unless _you_ want to stay here?"

"I don't want to stay here without you." She shook her head. "Just tell me what time you want to get out of here and I'll be ready."

"Let's talk about that later," He put the envelope down on the coffee table and took her hand. "because at the moment, we _are_ still on our honeymoon."

"Something that the FBI seems determined to ignore." She couldn't help but comment.

"It's the nature of the job, honey." He squeezed her fingers sympathetically. "It's also what you signed on for when you agreed to marry me."

"I know."

"I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, but I was thinking that if it was all right with Lionel we could finish our honeymoon here when I get back." He raised his eyebrows in question. "If you think he would go for it."

"It won't be a problem." She assured him. "He doesn't stay here himself much, it's used mostly for guests. But I'll talk to him tomorrow after you leave and get his okay."

"I'm not happy about this either, you know that." Lois wasn't sure why he felt the need to tell her that. "I'd much rather be spending a few days here with you, but we knew it could happen. That's why we decided to stick close to home."

"I know." She nodded with a sigh. "It's just something I have to get used to, sharing you with the FBI."

"You're only sharing a small part Lois." He smiled softly at her. "Most of me belongs to you."

"And it's a good thing too, buster. Because that's all I'm willing to share."

"I love you too."

"Prove it." Her eyebrow went up in challenge.

"What about dinner?" Clark's soft smile turned into a grin.

"Later." She leaned over and kissed him.

"Are you sure?" He asked and kissed her back.

"Positive." She nodded and put her arms around his neck. "Dinner will be there tomorrow night, but you won't. So if we have dinner a little later than usual tonight, it's only because of that."

"Works for me." He put his arms around her and kissed her again.

oooooo

She hated goodbyes, always had.

It had been difficult to say goodbye to Lucy the day after the wedding, after having had so little time with her. She was only just beginning to get to know her nephew and she had to say goodbye to him, too.

But she'd had Clark at her side and that made the parting easier.

Two days after their wedding, however, Clark was the one who was leaving. And though she had his parents and her father at her side, saying goodbye to him was more difficult than she thought it would be. It wasn't as though he was going overseas, but it was the first time he would be leaving her as her husband. And as a new wife, it was the last thing she wanted.

Though to be fair, she knew it was the last thing that he wanted, too.

"It's only going to be a few days." He reassured her. "I called Mr. Kelly before we left Metropolis. He told me that even though it wasn't his decision to have me recalled, _he_ made the decision to keep me at the field office."

"What does that mean, exactly?" _He was going to be close to home._

"That means I'll be conducting investigations by telephone, staying in touch with other agents out in the field and filing reports. And he's told me that if it looks like it's going to be more than a week, you can come to Kansas City until I come home."

"He'd do that for us?" Lois hadn't expected to hear that.

"You made quite an impression on him." Clark told her.

"But I've never met him." She was confused.

"The fact that you called the FBI when you suspected Lex Luthor of espionage was what made the impression. He said that it took a lot of gumption for you to do what you did because most people wouldn't if they were in your shoes."

"That's because they aren't me." She stated the obvious with a shrug.

"Thank goodness." He put his arms around her and hugged her. "There's only one of you, and you're mine."

"Oh really." She pulled back and smiled at him. "You're very cute when you act like a husband."

"Well maybe that's because I _am_ a husband." He needlessly reminded her.

"And you're mine." _She liked saying that._

"And happy to be." He kissed her.

"I know."


	50. Jonathan's Gambit

His baby boy, his dark haired lad, the man he'd become that Jonathan Jerome Kent was so proud was now, himself, a husband.

He'd been honored and deeply touched that his only son wanted him to stand by his side as he married a woman whom he never thought he'd marry. A woman who'd made him more than a little crazy and whom he'd fallen so deeply in love, even though he knew he shouldn't have because it was against regulations to become personally involved with a witness.

But from the first time Jonathan met Lois there was a palpable spark between the young singer and his son, though neither could see it and the situation being what it was at the time, it was for the best.

Lois was unhappy with the circumstances when Clark first brought her to the farm, but she never complained because she knew it was for a good reason. She and Martha had hit it off right away and it didn't take long for Jonathan to see a mother and daughter kind of a bond begin to develop between them.

They had an ease with each other that he'd never seen his wife have with any of the girls Clark had been interested in while at Smallville High or at Central Kansas. And maybe that was why, because Lois wasn't interested in him.

And in point of fact, she resented him.

She resented him for interrupting her life and turning it upside down, though she never said as much. But Jonathan could see in the way she needled him and tried to get him to drop his professional facade that she was paying him back. It seemed to backfire on her however, because not only did Clark pay her back in his own way, but it also lowered their guards and they began to get to know each other.

Lois might have said, 'That was our first mistake.'

Their second 'mistake' was Clark involving her in his cover to fend off the attentions of a young woman he'd worked with at the _Daily Planet_. She'd made her interest in his son very clear and because he was the gentleman that he and Martha raised him to be, couldn't find a way to tell her that he wasn't interested in anything romantic.

That was until Lois walked into the _Planet_'s newsroom so unexpectedly and gave Clark the excuse he needed to rebuff her; _he was already spoken for_.

And because of that, he'd seen how the seemingly innocent adjustment on his son's part changed the way he looked at his witness and how she looked at the 'G-man'; only Lois would give him such a name.

Martha had noticed it too and they'd talked about the wisdom of letting it happen. She'd told him about Clark carrying a sleeping Lois up to his room the night she'd arrived and their encounter the first morning she was there.

For not knowing each other, the _way_ they talked to each other had surprised Martha. Because for all of the sarcasm that she leveled at him, he gave it right back. And from what she could see, he really seemed to enjoy it; though he could never admit it.

They'd witnessed together the evening walk Clark and Lois had taken the night they decorated the Christmas tree and how they seemed to unconsciously reach for each other and stay close while they talked. They were the gestures of two people who were growing comfortable with the other.

But in spite of his reservations of the propriety in their burgeoning relationship, Jonathan made the decision not to point it out to Clark. Because he knew that if he did, they might lose out on the opportunity to see what might be in store for them. And when it came right down to it, all he wanted was for his son to be happy.

So he didn't say anything when they would take walks around the farm, though his upbringing shouted at him to do just that. It wasn't proper for a young man and a young woman to be alone together without benefit of a chaperone, and he knew that his parents would be disappointed in him for not protecting the reputation of someone entrusted to their care.

But he _had_ to believe that what he was allowing to happen was best for Clark. And if that meant leaving them alone in the house while he, Martha and Lois's father went to a neighbor's Christmas party, he was willing to take a gamble.

Their feelings for each other had developed so quickly and if they had been different people, he never would have done it. But Jonathan knew his son and knew that he wouldn't take advantage of the situation. And he'd come to know Lois well enough to know that even if Clark had tried, she would have set him straight in a hurry.

He had to admit to questioning his decision, however, when they had arrived home from the party and Jonathan got the strong sense that something serious had happened, that changed the way the kids looked at each other.

It was compounded by their actions early that morning when Lois surprised all of them, not the least of all Clark, when she sat in his lap and ate his breakfast. She'd done it after he'd gone into his room for a pair of socks and decided to wake her instead.

He and Martha wouldn't have known exactly what happened if Lois hadn't told her and ended up in a cold shower because of it.

He shook his head with amusement over that. _Only Lois._

"So did Lucy and Michael get off all right?" Jonathan was brought out of his musings by the sound of his wife's voice.

"She did. But as anxious as she was to get back to Andrew, she wished she could have stayed longer to visit with her sister." Sam closed the door and walked to the fireplace, backing up to it. "It's gotten colder out there. I think it's going to start snowing again."

"Lois was so worried about that yesterday." Martha smiled. "She didn't want anything to get in the way of marrying Clark."

"My daughter would have walked through snowdrifts to marry that boy of yours." He laughed. "Believe me Martha, nothing was going to stop that from happening."

"Clark would have _carried_ her through those snowdrifts because he wasn't going to let anything get in the way either." Jonathan smiled. "I never met a man who was so anxious to get married."

"And you weren't?" His wife raised an eyebrow at him, a habit she'd picked up from their new daughter in law.

"I wanted to marry you." He defended himself, even though he knew he didn't have to. "But one of the things I remember about _our_ wedding day was how nervous I was. But with his own wedding day, Clark wasn't. He was so calm about the whole thing and that it made _me_ nervous."

"That might have something to do with his FBI training." Sam observed as he pulled a cigar from a small humidor on the fireplace mantle. "He learned to remain cool under fire and stay calm in stressful situations because he needed to keep his wits about him.

"Or it could just be that he knew he would finally be able to take advantage of her." He added with a grin as he got a match from the matchbox, struck it against a brick in the fireplace and lit the cigar.

"Sam." Martha feigned a frown and shook her head as she took a sip of her coffee.

He tossed the match into the fireplace and chuckled as he took a puff.

"I'm just glad that Clark found her." Jonathan took Martha's hand. "She makes our son happy and that's all that really matters."

"And he makes _her_ happy, don't forget that." Lois' father interjected as he took another puff. "That's no small feat, I can tell you. My Lo has never been the kind of girl to fall for smooth lines or a handsome face. When she was growing up, she got a lot of attention that she wasn't asking for. And she learned really early that there were boys who thought that because she had a pretty face, that she was the kind of girl to use it to her advantage."

"R and R?" Martha asked and the look on his face was one of surprise.

"Lois told you about that?"

"There isn't much that she and Martha _haven't_ talked about." Jonathan told him.

He nodded in acknowledgement. "My point in telling you that was so you would understand that Lois became very discerning when it came to men, because she _had_ to. And it's to your credit that you raised a son that she would let herself fall for."

"It's to _your_ credit that you raised a daughter that our _son_ would fall for." Martha returned the compliment. "He never made time for courting a girl before he met Lois because he traveled so much and didn't feel he could do it justice."

"Then he came home on assignment and got himself into a situation that couldn't go anywhere." Jonathan sighed. "Martha and I lost some sleep over that, I can tell you."

"I imagine you did." Sam sympathized. "I lost a few nights sleep myself with Lo working in some of those nightclubs. And I know that she can take care of herself, because I made sure she could, but I still worried something would happen to her. Especially when we weren't communicating much and I wasn't quite sure where she was."

"I don't think it matters how old our kids are, they're still our kids. Martha and I worried about Clark being so far away from us in Washington, worried that he wasn't taking care of himself. And we worried that we would get a telephone call from the Bureau telling us that he'd been injured or killed in the line of duty."

"_That_ had me up at night." Martha commented to him. "So I was more than a little relieved when he came home for that espionage investigation."

"Then he got shot while he was off duty." Sam shook his head. "For something completely unrelated to his job."

"And we ended up getting that call from Lois." Jonathan nodded. "You would have been proud of her Sam, for the way that she handled the situation. Clark said that she was calm and kept her head."

"That doesn't surprise me." He smiled with pride. "She gave me a brief report on what happened, but I know she didn't tell me everything."

"That isn't necessarily a bad thing." Martha admitted as the telephone rang and Jonathan got up and walked toward the kitchen.

"I'll get that." He walked into the kitchen and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

_"Mr. Kent, this Director Tom Kelly. I don't suppose that your son is still there?"_

This couldn't be good.

"I'm sorry Mr. Kelly, but he's already left."

Jonathan heard a sigh on the other end of the line and had the feeling that his son's honeymoon was about to be cut short.

__

"I hate to do this to him and wouldn't if it weren't absolutely necessary, but we've gotten a directive from Washington to recall all furloughed agents. And that includes agents currently on their honeymoon."

"May I ask why?" He figured the Director couldn't tell him, but decided to inquire just the same.

__

"I can't go into detail, you understand. But suffice it to say that we've been receiving an alarming number of reports having to do with fifth column activities. Your son was aware of this and knew it could happen.

"I told him I would do my best to keep his name out of the mix, but unfortunately I wasn't able to do that."

"So what happens now?"

__

"I'll be sending his orders to the Regent by courier as soon as we finish processing all of the assignments. For security purposes, we don't tell the agents what those assignments will be until they report. But I feel comfortable in telling you that I have a special assignment in mind for Agent Kent.

"I'm not happy about having to do this to him, so I'm going to try and make this as painless as possible for him and for Mrs. Kent."

"Well under the circumstances, I'm sure he'll appreciate that."

__

"I hope so."

"Mr. Kelly, it's Christmas Day. Shouldn't you be at home with your family?"

_"That's what my wife asked._" He laughed_._ _"But she also knows that these sorts of things can happen, being married to me. I imagine your son's wife is going to be wondering the same thing when he gets his orders."_

"Lois's father is in the Army, so I don't think she'll be too surprised." Jonathan shouldn't have smiled, but he did. "But she's like your wife, she knew this could happen when she married my son."

__

"It sounds like he has a keeper."

"He wouldn't argue with you about that."

__

"Well, I'll let you get back to your Christmas. And I'll get these assignments out so I can get back to mine. Merry Christmas Mr. Kent."

"Merry Christmas to you too, Mr. Kelly." And the line went dead.

He hung up the receiver and walked out to the expectant faces of Martha and Sam.

"You were on the telephone for awhile." She observed with a frown of concern. "Is everything all right?"

"Clark has to report to Kansas City. Tomorrow." He sighed as he sat down next to his wife.

"Tomorrow?" Sam folded his arms across his chest in irritation. "They can't even get forty-eight hours for a damn honeymoon?"

"All the agents currently on furlough are being recalled for assignment, honeymoon or not." He picked up his coffee cup and took a sip. Cold. "But he said that he had a special assignment for Clark that would make it as painless as possible for him and for Lois."

"I don't suppose he told you what it was?" Martha asked.

"For security reasons, not even the agents know until they report." Jonathan shook his head. "So we should be ready to expect the kids tomorrow morning."

"Well, hell." Sam frowned as he tossed his cigar into the fireplace. "They waited all that time."

"I know Sam, I know."

oooooo

"Are you packed?" Jonathan asked his son as he walked into the room late the next morning.

"I'm ready to go Dad." Clark nodded and closed his suitcase before he pulled it off the bed and set it down.

"Lois seems to be taking this pretty well."

"She knew that it could happen, we were just hoping it wouldn't." He shrugged and then sat down on the bed. "Who am I kidding? _I_ was hoping it wouldn't happen."

"I know that, son. But you said that Lois could join you in Kansas City if you were going to be gone for more than a week. And at least you won't be out on the road where she can't talk to you."

"That's one good thing." He sighed.

"And at least it happened _after_ you got married." Jonathan pointed out the obvious. "I don't know that Lois would have been so understanding if the wedding had been postponed."

"We would have eloped." Clark laughed before he stood and picked up his suitcase. "Because after all of the waiting, she wasn't going to put off because of an assignment."

"Smart woman, your wife."

"And that's the important thing, Dad." He sighed with contentment as he headed for the door. "She's my wife."

"And one of these days, she'll be the mother of your children." _He couldn't resist._

Clark stopped at the bedroom door and raised his eyebrows at his father. "You've been hanging around Sam too much."

"He's a breath of fresh air Clark, just like Lois was when you first brought her here." He grinned. "She shook up our quiet lives and made you happier than I've ever seen you. And I don't think I've ever told her how grateful I am for that."

"I think she knows."

"I hope so." His grin grew wider. "So do you think your first will be, a boy or a girl?"

"Dad!"

"Just thought I'd ask." He clapped a hand on his son's shoulder and guided him out of the room.


	51. Epilogue

****

Epilogue:

September 28, 1943

Lois couldn't ever remember being so tired or sleeping so deeply. And when she finally woke, saw her sleeping husband slumped in a chair next to her bed. Clark had been in Illinois on an investigation and it had taken the field office longer than she was happy with to track him down.

He'd gotten the red-eye from Chicago Municipal as soon as he got the news she'd gone into labor and met his parents and the General at the hospital. He'd been able to see her for a few minutes to explain what had taken him so long to get there before she was taken to the delivery room and was told that he couldn't come with her.

_Were they kidding_? After all, it _was_ his fault that she'd gotten in the family way. Well, to be fair he did have a lot of help from her and it was only right that he be there to see the life they'd created together come into the world.

But it was against the rules. _Cretins!_

"Wake up Dad, you can sleep in another eighteen years." Lois called to him softly, reached out a hand and smiled as he stirred. Clark looked around with absolute confusion and seemed to be trying to orient himself as to where he was. "Hospital, baby, fourteen hours of labor, remember?"

It was his turn to smile as he sat up and took the hand she offered. "Hi ya, Gorgeous."

"You really _are_ tired after that red-eye, aren't you? I'm hardly gorgeous." She tried to admonish him, but his happy smile was infectious and she smiled even more when he laughed.

"What you _should_ have said was, 'Hi ya, Handsome.' Then I would have gotten up, sat on the edge of the bed and kissed my son's mother."

The last time she'd seen him so happy was the day they got married.

"Hi ya, Handsome. Now get over here and kiss your son's mother." She laughed with him as he stood up and stretched before he sat back down, gingerly, on the edge of the bed.

"Have I told you lately how much I love you?" He asked just before he leaned over and kissed her.

"I think you told me that as I was cursing your name for ever having met you." She smiled at him as she held his face in her hands. "Sorry about that."

"It's understandable under the circumstances." He grinned. "You were having our baby and the FBI was having trouble locating your husband. And by the time I finally got here, the show was just about over."

"Have you seen him yet?" Lois was anxious for Clark to see him.

He shook his head. "I wanted to wait until you were awake and we could see him together. We'll need to come up with a name, you know. Hospitals have this funny rule about babies having names."

"We already know that his middle name is going to be Jerome." And she shrugged at his look of surprise. "We can't break family tradition."

"He doesn't _have_ to have that name, even Dad said so." He sat back and took her hands in his.

"We're not going to break family tradition and that's that." She was insistent.

The look on his face told her that he knew the argument was lost and it was his turn to shrug his shoulders. "Jerome it is. But it still doesn't solve the problem of his _first_ name."

"Well, neither of our fathers wants him named after _them_ and you don't want him named after _you_. So what else would you suggest?" Lois frowned at the idea of their baby son not having a name.

"We could run through the alphabet." He suggested.

"The alphabet? That's as bad as picking his name out of a telephone directory."

"Or we could get a dictionary." He contributed further.

She put her head back and sighed. "We're terrible parents and we haven't even gotten the little guy home yet. We can't even do something as simple as pick out a name for him."

"Honey, we're not terrible parents." She could see he was trying not to smile and it irritated her. "We just want him to have a name he can live with for the rest of his life."

"You're not helping."

"Lois, we don't have to come up with a name for him this second." He tried to reason with her, but with the way she felt she didn't want to be reasoned with.

"I don't want to introduce him to his grandparents without a name." She wouldn't budge, especially with something so important.

"Okay." He sighed. "How about Colin?"

She wrinkled her nose in disapproval.

"Charles?"

"My son is _not_ going to have a pretentious name like that." She huffed as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Matthew?" He looked at her, his eyes raised in question.

She rolled that one over in her mind because it _was_ a nice name. "I'll put it on the 'seriously consider' list."

"Now we're getting somewhere." He smiled. "So let's hear some names from you, Mom. Is there anything that _you_ really like?"

"I like the sound of _that_." It was the first time she'd heard it.

"Me too." He leaned over and gave her a brief kiss. "But that name is already taken."

"I was in labor for fourteen hours, giving birth to _your_ son and you want me to come up with a name, too?"

"Nice try." And he laughed. "You can't think of anything, can you?"

"I _am_ a terrible mother." Lois put her hands on her face and shook her head in dismay.

"You're not a terrible mother." Clark pulled her hands away gently and his smile was just as gentle. "Just close your eyes and think about it, because I think you already know what his name is."

"How can you be so sure?" She frowned at him suspiciously because _he_ already seemed to know.

"Because I know _you_." He smiled at her. "And I know what your heart is telling you."

"Clark Junior?" She looked at him expectantly.

"We already agreed, no juniors." He shook his head as he brushed his thumbs soothingly over her knuckles. "Come on honey."

She closed her eyes and as she relaxed under her husband's warm touch, thought about it. Who was the one fellow who'd stuck with her through most of her labor? Who'd barked at the nurse when he thought she wasn't being attended to and promised to move heaven and earth to get a doctor from Walter Reed to deliver his grandchild if they didn't take care of her? Who'd rubbed her back and held her when the pain got to be too much for her that she wanted to give up and say 'forget it'?

_'Come on Lo, Lane's never give up; you know that.' He'd told her quietly._

_'But I'm not a Lane anymore.' She'd answered as she felt a tear roll down her cheek and he'd sighed._

_'Kent's don't give up either, honey.' He'd kept his voice low and it had surprised Lois how soothing it was. 'If Clark had given up, you wouldn't be married.'_

_'Yea, and I wouldn't be here.' She'd frowned and as another contraction came, she'd stiffened._

_'Don't fight it Lo, just go with it.' He'd advised as he kept rubbing her back. 'The best way to deal with pain is not to fight it.'_

_'You've never had a baby.' She'd stated the obvious and felt her father shrug his shoulders as he'd kept his arm around her._

"I know he didn't want the baby named for him, but I think it would be swell if we did." Clark commented as she opened her eyes and looked into his. "So what do you think?"

"Samuel."

"Yeah."

"Samuel Jerome Kent." She said it out loud and knew they'd found a name for their son when he smiled.

"It's a good name." Clark nodded. "And I think your dad will appreciate it, even if he doesn't let on."

"I love you." She pulled her hands out of his so she could put her arms around his neck, and then kissed him. He kissed her back, but before anything could come of it the door to the room opened and a nurse was standing in the doorway with a small bundle in her arms.

"There's a young man here who wants to meet his parents." The nurse smiled at them. "And I imagine that those very same parents want to meet him as well."

Clark stood up and Lois saw the expectant look on his face as the nurse came closer. He helped her to sit up and tucked the pillows behind her back before the newborn was placed in her arms.

"I'll leave the three of you to get acquainted." And the new parents were left alone with their baby.

_He was so small_. But from what Lois could remember with actually giving birth to him, he didn't feel so small at the time.

Then as new mothers are wont to do, the first thing she did was to check his fingers and his toes. Then she proceeded to kiss each and every one of them. That got the baby to open his eyes and she nearly cried when she saw that they were the same shade of blue as his father's.

It was something she'd hoped for, but tried not to wish for too hard because she didn't want to be disappointed if he'd inherited her gray ones.

"He looks like you." Clark commented.

"Maybe you should start wearing those glasses again." She looked up at Sam's father and shook her head. "With his dark hair and blue eyes, he's a picture of _you_."

He sat down next to her and she leaned against him as he ran his hand over the baby's head. "We did a nice job. Maybe next time we can give Sam a baby sister."

"What if all we have are boys?" And she laughed as she lifted her arms so that he could take his new son.

"Then they'll marry nightclub singers, like their dad." He grinned as he took the sleepy baby carefully from her and settled him in the crook of his arm, and she knew he was remembering a long ago conversation. "I _would_ like us to have a daughter, though."

"If all we have are sons that are as thoughtful and handsome as their father, I can live with that."

"But maybe _I_ want a daughter who is as stubborn and beautiful as her mother." He kissed her cheek. "It seems to me that given time we can both have what we want."

She was surprised when she felt her face flush with a thought that she shouldn't have been having. "What _I_ want is something we can't do for at least six weeks."

The comment seemed to take him by surprise as well because he didn't say anything for a moment. And when he finally did, he cleared his throat; a sure sign that he was flustered. But then he chuckled. "Well if anyone can talk your doctor into changing that timeline, _you_ can."

"I don't know. He's a lot like the General and doesn't like his directives being challenged."

"That's why you picked him, even if you won't admit it. Besides, _I_ like him and his reasons for what he does are always sound."

"He's a lot like you too, then." She tried to stifle a yawn. "I hadn't thought of that."

"Honey, why don't you try and get some rest." He suggested as he carefully got up off the bed with the baby. "You and Sam have had a big day and he's already gone back to sleep."

She nodded reluctantly and slipped down into the bed, dragging the pillows with her and sighed as her eyes began to close, too tired to argue with him.

And as she drifted back in to sleep, Lois couldn't help but think that her life hadn't turned out remotely the way she thought it might, it turned out so much better. And the last thing she saw before her eyes closed was the soft smile on her husband's face as he cradled their sleeping son in his arms.

Sometimes it really paid to put your life in the hands of the FBI.

Lois Lane Kent was living proof of that.

THE END.


End file.
